Completed Secrets to Remember Part 2

[Savacea Jovellana]

She chuckled lightly at Loda's shock that what they could eat may be toxic to certain animals. It was a little difficult to explain but she did the best she could, "Animals are different in some ways to us. Some things can not be digested correctly, their bodies react different then ours." She did not know much about animals, but she did the best she could from what she knew of. Savacea wondered if he did not mind poisons after all, he did indeed seem slightly interested. The Symenestra looked at it like the dark that you have to have, or the light would not seem as wonderful. The crafter made antidotes after all to the poisons. So it was not all bad, just some people preferred dealing with others in this way.

Her thoughts were brought back to Loda as he asked if she could eat it she shook her head, "I can chew fruits that are super soft, but I prefer a liquid diet. Blood even over something that has to be chewed." Savacea told the man, with a grim smile. Sometimes she wished she could eat like everyone else, enjoy the process of chewing the food as it lingered in your mouth, tasting the spices thoroughly, instead of sucking it down in a gulp. She shrugged it off as she watched it blow away in the wind, his hand dropping the rest into the water.

Loda then pulled a reed off from the brush, breaking it off he told her you could use it to help you breath under the water. She widened her eyes as she had never thought about using the reeds in such a manner, then he went on to say that it can be turned into a whistle. This delighted her and she gave an excited gasp, "A whistle.. That sounds like fun." Savacea said in wonder at the reed.

Loda began folding it to show her, then he placed it on his lips and blew on it a couple of times. It finally made a sound and it had a sound like that of the insects in the marsh, but there was something distinct about it. Savacea thought it was rather amazing. Loda told her she should try and she was excited to do so.

The warrior brought his hands over hers, her heart rate quickened at the contact, as he brought them gently up placing it in her hand the right way then instructed her to press it to her lips and lightly blow but not too hard. She chuckled softly and nodded, as she placed the red between her soft red lips and gave a soft blow. It did not make a sound at first, so she tried again. This time it did and she looked at Loda with excitement in her eyes. She was proud of herself in a way, but mainly just excited to have learned how to do this with mere reeds.

[Loda]

Loda was curious as to how she knew so much about things like this, then he thought on how she killed her food. It was likely that using a venom like a snake, maybe they could ingest venom or poison without harm. He didn’t know though, maybe it was just a hobby; questions likely for later.

“I see. Maybe that is why we keep them penned around the water’s edge.” he paused for a moment, struggling with a thought and then blurted it out anyways. “I didn’t think I’d learn a bit more of my own culture when I met you on that rock on the cliff” he gave a steady smooth chuckle from what sounded like the depths, it was deep and from the heart. He then pursed his lips at the thought and shook his head.

He was pretty interested interested in her lacking ability to eat the seedling in his hand. “So like grapes, strawberries, and maybe...like Kiwi?” he seemed to be making a mental list, trying to anticipate her answer. “I know how to cook anything liquid. Some people in my city cook many things, even things for a liquid diet, but I don’t know how. I’ve always just hunted and ate from the animal I’ve killed. Otherwise I eat things like this if I’m in a bad situation.” He ripped off a tiny bit more of the seeds and let the wind carry some away. “I personally like Marrow better than blood. Blood is very metallic tasting and just...doesn’t sit right with me, though I have lived off of it for many days before alone. But marrow is good. Right from the bone.”

A human girl might be disgusted by the conversation, but really, they weren’t human, and this was their life. He felt open enough with her to share his eating habits as she seemed open enough to share with him hers. While she was disgusted with the habits of her people, he wondered if she was in opposition to eating like them. He looked for her reaction on the topic, whether it was favorable or not.

As she finally produced a whistle he chuckled and nodded toward the reed in her hand. “Keep it. It is yours now. You have conquered it.” He almost made it seem like she had killed the wild Ya’Tago herself, but was just having fun with her. “Come on” he said and began to walk further into the fog.

They had actually gone quite a ways from where they originally started out and fortunately for them they had not seen the Dhani villages or hazardous ghosts they had passed up as they snuck silently through the marsh; however that changed when an eerie feeling came upon him. It was cold and dark, as if dread had entered his very bones; surely there was a ghost here.

Loda looked back to Savacea to bid her to silence again, wondering if she felt it herself. Such anger was in the air, such hostility that he nearly felt it himself inside. It was as if something in this area kept causing disaster after disaster before them, trying to cause them harm for some reason. First it was the Dhani, then the bugs, and now what was likely to be a hostile ghost.

Slowly they crept around the area, not wishing to push through the hazard before them. At times through the fog, Loda could almost swore he saw something moving in the water or above it, like wisps of smoke. He came to a spot where the water began to get deeper, but at least the muck was gone. Reaching out with the brunt end of his spear he could feel it dropped down to about three feet deep at some places. He looked around into the fog and all this way it seemed like it was going to be water. Loda lowered himself to his knees silently in the water; his loin cloth now completely wet up to just above where it was tied.

He looked to Savacea, “Climb on”, he whispered to her as he pulled his hair to his front and then up into the wreath as almost a headband to tie it there. While the majority of his scratches were on his lower back, there was some on his upper back that she would be sitting on, however all the blood had dried since the event and closed.

Other's Words ~~ My Words ~~ My Thoughts

[Savacea Jovellana]

Savacea returned his smile, she did not think she was helping him known more about his race, but he seemed to think so and that made her happy. She enjoyed his chuckle, it sounded genuine and made her smile that much truer as it reached her eyes. She realized how much she liked seeing him smile and laugh, it made her heart swell for some reason. Savacea felt like she would do anything to see him smile and to hear that laugh, it was addictive in nature and made his features that more attractive, his mouth was made to smile, and she wondered what else it was made for but quickly dismissed those thoughts. It was not safe to tread in those musings, not ever.

Loda listed off some soft fruits and she nodded, those were indeed some fruits she could eat, "Yes like those, kiwi though I would have to take the skin off and eat the soft insides of it." She supplied with a grin, listening to him say he could cook anything liquid, but he preferred eating from the animal he hunted and killed. Then he told her his personal preference for the marrow inside the bone, as blood did not provide much sustenance but he could survive on it, so she decided to provide him with something more personal as well. "I can live on a blood for a day or so but it does not have the nutrients my body needs. My fangs produces a venom much like stomach acid and I control it myself. Once I pierced the skin of something solid, I can make my venom come out and it decomposes it into a liquid that I can eat. Whether that be an animal or fruit. Though I really enjoy fruit personally." Savacea explained, looking away from his gaze for a moment as it was causing her to feel weird inside, as if this personal exchange was opening something up, perhaps friendship she was not sure.

When she produced the noise and looked excited at Loda he said that she could keep it, she gave a delighted giggle as he said she had conquered it. She put it in her pack, another memento like the white rock, to hold on to the memories of Loda since she was unsure of how long this would last, she wanted to remember the moments that they shared in each other's company. Loda told her to come on and she nodded as they walked further into the fog. The fog here was different then Black Rock, there was something more to it, the consistency was thicker it seemed and it held a life force of it's own it seemed like.

When they had walked far away from where they were with the making of the Reed flute there was something in the way the fog had changed. It was a coldness in the air, although it was summer time making Savacea shiver slightly. The fog wisp around them in a menacing way, her heart picked up a pace as she looked around them. This was different from the eerie feeling that you experienced in Black Rock, something about this feeling spoke of danger and she was not sure exactly what it was. She could not pinpoint what or who or anything really, just felt like there was danger lurking around at the change of scenery before them.

The warrior looked back at her, bidding her to be quiet and she complied with his order. Trying to breath softly so she would not make much noise, as they slowly crept around the area. She kept Loda in her vision, afraid if she looked away he would disappear, she wanted to reach out and hold his hand but was unsure how he would view it. She felt like he would fade away if she did not touch him though, and placed her hand on his arm using it as support as she walked. Savacea felt now he would not leave her, they reached a deeper part of the swamp. She saw Loda look around then back at the water. He lowered himself to his knees silently in the water. Savacea frowned as she was unsure what he was doing until he spoke, 'climb on'. She stilled for a moment knowing he had scratches on his back.

Though his tone held a note that was not to be argued with, he pulled his hair to the front and up into the wreath so it was out of the way. Savacea climbed onto his back, her light body should not be hard for Loda to carry as she was very light and she was unsure if he knew exactly how light she really was. She tried to avoid the scratches but it was inevitable, she placed her small hands around his neck, wrapping her legs around his torso she leaned in, brushing her lips against her ear, "I do not want to hurt you..are you sure?" her voice came out faintly, her cool breath hitting his ear as she spoke. Loda was a strong man, this she knew, but she still cared about him and worried about his pain. There was something inside her that just reached out to care for the warrior, she was not sure why she did this, but it felt right at the time. She kept her lips near his ear as she waited for his answer, and wondered what they were going to do next. She wanted to ask if he felt this ominous presence around them, but decided to keep it to herself.

[Loda]

Loda categorized everything that Savacea had to say about herself. He was beginning to get an impressive picture of her race as a whole. It seemed she was not able to survive on blood like he had thought but instead liquified the internal body of her prey. Really she was much more like a spider than a snake he thought. Realizing it was rude to relate her to a spider he just tucked it away. She seemed to be an individual, unique in every way, and all the more so because of her unique stance apart from her race. She looked away from him though and he somewhat wondered if she had been offended by the question. He put it off to the side.

As they went he trudged through the swamp slightly ahead of his companion, yet as the fog thickened and he gave her warning, he noticed the fear in her. She placed her hand on his arm and for the time being he removed her hand and brought it around to loop under his arm. They were now locked together and he wasn’t going anywhere. Though her skin was pale white, he found it strange that she had warmth to her; and like before, he was very warm to the touch.

The frail woman eventually was faced with a challenge of not only the depths, but herself. As she overcame though and climbed onto Loda’s back, he felt her wrap to his torso. Shaking his head he bent down a little further and winced. “I’m sure, but get up on the shoulders. It’s too deep. You’ll get wet.” He said, glad to have her off the majority of his back. Once they were situated and she sat up on his shoulders, he slid into the murky waters.

As he did a shrill voice, mumbling almost incoherently said “Stu..stupid..stupid. Wish he’d die. Gonna cut his spleen brwar...bbrawhlee. eee. ServehimupformydinnerIwill. Can’t stand him.” It was distant, but it made it all the more creepy in the fog. Loda did his best to head away from the voice, silently, and toward the coastline where he knew they would likely get out of the marsh. It would likely take them an hour or so from where they were, but it was worth it to avoid this ghostly area. Who knew what else was here or how violent it truly was.

His mind wanted to race to so many things. The way her breath felt on his ear, the way the warmth of her body was against his, the lightness of her frame, how far he could actually throw her, how her legs felt wrapped now across his chest, how far he could throw her again, and how much deeper the water would get, but he was a warrior first. He needed to focus. It was almost as if he was overwhelmed by emotion to just say piss off to all those thoughts. The ghost and their safety was more important to worry about right now.

The water rose up to his chest just below the shoulder-blades, and if she wasn’t careful and sagged a little, her butt would get wet. Savacea could see how he would poke his spear in places so as to find safe ground to walk on.

Eventually they left the area due to their teamwork, though it was almost as if a force was against them because the wind began to blow harder, sweeping the fog away from the area. Fortunately they were far enough away from the ghost as him not to see them. They finally began to climb a bit out of the water and Loda sighed a bit. He could turn now and keep her there, but something in him made him want her off; to head for dry land.

Little did they know, but a few hours previous they had stepped into a Qamur who was trying to bring various negative events upon them, yet due to their teamwork and care for each other it was being changed. It had reached a point now where the force at work didn't want to mess around any longer. As Loda reached land, he let her off. In front of them there was a pair of skeletons that had been dried out in the sun. A rusty blade was shoved into the chest of what looked like a symenestra, and the claws of the Symenestra through the neck of what looked like a Myrian. As Loda stood he first observed around them that it was safe and did not see the skeletons.

Other's Words ~~ My Words ~~ My Thoughts

[Savacea Jovellana]

He said he was sure it would not hurt as long as she stayed closer to the upper back of his back. So she did as she was instructed to do as he slipped into the murky water. Her mind was consumed with the feel of his skin against hers, how his skin was warmer then her own. It felt nice, she admitted to herself, she was so use to pushing people away and taking care of herself, that this one act of kindness from Loda made her heart swell further. Though she was not sure of his intentions she figured it was because it would of been a burden to have her walk instead of just carrying her. Either way, it was a soft side to him that she found herself adoring. She did not hear the voice mumbling in the distance as her mind was on Loda, the way he moved, how he glided through the water poking it with his spear, and the feel of his warmth against her making her stomach do flips.

The waded further out and the water became deeper, her butt became wet as she sagged but she wiggled further up as they eventually left the weird and eerie area behind them. The wind picked up blowing the fog, making her shiver slightly from the contact. It was not as if it was cold, it was just a strange feeling she could not shake. They started climbing up out of the water and Loda sighed. Savacea wondered if he was tired, he did have to carry her on his back through the water, and although she was light she hoped she did not make him tired. She had never been swimming before, so she felt like if she were to she may of drown, or something creepy could have snatched her under the water. She trembled again at the frightening thought.

The Warrior and Symenestra reached the land, Loda let her off his back and she felt lonely with out the feel of him against her, but she did not say anything or let it be known how she still wanted to touch him, had a need to reach out and grasp his hand still. She exhaled a breath as if she had been holding it the hold time, swiping at her forehead to rid it of the cold sweat beginning to form there. She looked at Loda who was busy scanning the area. She rolled her bottom lip between her teeth as he was preoccupied. It was hard to tear her eyes away from him, but she did so and saw something that made her yell lightly at the sight. The noise came out a bit strangled, but more feminine then what she was used to sounding.

There was two skeletons before them that looked as if they were engaged or.. were engaged in battle. She rubbed her upper arms as gooseflesh appeared on her skin, she pointed at the two things I-is that.. She stammered in a whisper her arm and hand shaking from the darkness that crept around them, making her panic slightly "What..who..?" it seemed she could not form words as the shock of what it was kept them from forming on her tongue. Savacea observed that it appeared to be a Myrian and a Symenestra who had fought and died there. She looked over at Loda to examine his feelings on the matter, she was not sure how he was going to take it and it scared her slightly.

[Loda]

Loda was too preoccupied with their safety when Savacea climbed off to think as she did. What did get his attention however was the cool wind on his back. It somewhat stung him on his scrapes and poke marks, and now that he was all wet it was worse. His jaw was tense and when Savacea screamed a little bit he shot a glance to her. They had just left danger. Was she trying to get them in more? He wondered what she saw and now rushed over to her to see what she saw. Upon observing it he could see it was a Myrian and a Symenestra locked in mortal combat. It in a way confirmed things for him, having him thinking she was his enemy.

He saw her look over to him and he didn’t seem to be too bothered with it at first, but then as she was looking to him he furrowed a brow and said sternly, “Did you have to scream? We just got out of danger. What is so scary about that?”

His soft eyes that were once warm were now ferocious, and with the shade from his wreath and the face paint that was all that was remaining on him, he looked ferocious. “I’ve probably saved your life a few times at least out here thus far. Just because we are on an island that has a peace from Dira, doesn’t mean that there aren’t dangers.”

He lowered his spear to show he wasn’t threatening her with his weapon. He was not a happy camper it seemed, and the fact he had even thought about his weapon, indicated he at one point even briefly thought to use it.

Other's Words ~~ My Words ~~ My Thoughts

[Savacea Jovellana]

Loda appeared to not care about the two races locked together, but his voice came out harsher then what it had been since they stepped foot into the swamp it made her go wide eye with shock at first, his stern tone punished her for screaming out chastising her for being so scared over the skeletons. It was frightening, to see two dead bodies out of no where, it raised many questions inside her, how could he not be a little frightened.

She was not sure what to say to that, her mouth parted a little in shock as his eyes changed from a soft warm presence to cold and vicious as he continued his rant, telling her how he has saved her live and practically calling her stupid for not realizing that there was not dangers about the island. She knew there was dangers, this confirmed that she was indeed a burden to him. His tone was ferocious as the words cut at her heart. Once again she let hope reside inside her, thinking that she could actually call him a friend, depend on him, possibly have the feeling of love of their friendship. All that shattered in front of her as his features turned menacing. The face paint looked frightening on him now, as the shadow from the wreath cast down over his features.

She schooled her face as he raised his spear, her own face now turned back to the coldness that was there upon their first meeting, her eyes flashing with a fierceness as the walls she began to let slip with the man came back up guarding her from the pain he was inflicting upon her heart. "You think I did not know that this place was dangerous? Yes you have saved my life, thank you almighty warrior for your services! They are no longer needed though, just leave I will find my own way back. I do not need you to hold my hand, I am capable of taking care of my petching self!" Her words were loud dripping with viciousness as she glared into his eyes with a cold hatred. How could he turn on her after all they have been through together? She thought maybe he was beginning to care for her, after all the softness he displayed. How could she have been so stupid to believe in him, to trust in him?

She turned her back on Loda and began to walk away, she could take care of herself, she had done so plenty of times before. She knew the skeletons were upsetting him. They were two different people after all, she stepped away from the ways of her people not letting them dictate her life. Loda stuck to the ways of his people, his culture and his people dictated his life. The scene before them showed the two as enemies and she knew now that was what she was to him, nothing more then his enemy. That he would never care for her, love her, or be her friend. She was nothing to him, this broke her heart and she willed the tears away with the rage that burned inside her body as she began to leave the Warrior behind.

[Loda]

As the volatile nature of their conversation began to turn even more so, he could hear the viciousness of her words. She was confirmed in his mind as the very one who he originally thought was a miserable savage when he met her on the cliff. He couldn’t even see how he had let her fog his mind with how she felt and what she thought. She mocked him as a warrior, taking it a step further and calling him an almighty one, putting all that he stood for to shame.

He watched as she started to walk away. There was a conflict in his heart as to whether to dig himself in even deeper. She turned her back to him and cursed and he said sternly, still not yelling through the swamp, but loud enough for her to very clearly hear him.

“If you are doing so great then why are you going the wrong way. The sun is there, we entered, turned left right and then headed from that way.” He gestured vaguely the direction they came from and then to where they were heading. “You don’t even know where you are do you? Are you going to walk out to the edge of the Island and then back? We’ll see you in a few days, bug ridden, scarred, scared, and probably crazed because you are weak.”

His words were vile and he desired to hurt her emotionally if she was going to turn her back on him. Rage had filled his heart and as he thought about her he was a torrent of rage, wrath, and yet still inside had a desire for her to make it all right. His actions however were like a little child and he kicked the skeletons into the water with ferocity. He began to head into the swamp a different way away from her. He moved slowly in thought and began to move toward an area of dry land upon which some plants of various white and green colors resided, not that he cared. He was sick of her red lips, her white skin, and any other colors she had on her or herbs she carried. Even if she called to him he wasn't likely going to stop.

Other's Words ~~ My Words ~~ My Thoughts

[Savacea Jovellana]

The words lashed out at her, mocking her for going in the wrong direction. It was not a yell, but it still was loud enough she could hear him making her stop but keeping her back to him. He was being cruel and she could only respond in kind, telling her that she was weak. She balled her hands in fists slightly, not wincing as the claws of her hand dug slightly into her palms making her bleed. She wanted to curl up into a ball and cry, let it all out, but that would just mean she was weak as Loda said.

After a few moments she decided to turn around, but Loda was not there anymore. She gave a scowl as she realized he kicked the skeletons in the water and stormed off. This was not done, the argument had yet to end, she be damned if he was going to rip her heart out of her chest like those in the past and not get a tongue lashing in the very least. She could not hurt him, she knew that, she cared too much to cause harm but at least she could hurt him with her words. She stomped after his retreating figure, fuming preparing herself for what she was going to say.

The tears that she willed away now spilled from her eyes and down her cheeks, she did not bother to wipe them away or even acknowledge their existence as her hands were now dripping blood steadily from her digging her claws into her skin, she found him there in a small clearing, there was dry land, and she saw him near some plants. She had her mouth open ready to curse and yell at him some more for being so cruel to her, to tell him how much she cared and how it hurt her that he could be so callous towards her, but the words stopped as he neared a plant she knew all to well. The plant had erect stems that were covered in glossy dark green leaves, clusters of blue and purple flowers that were shaped like a hood of a cloak adorned the plant. It was the Acson plant, known to be mildly poisonous to the touch.

She ran over to where her warrior friend stood, yelling in a frenzied state, "Loda no!" the words escaped her lips as she pushed the strong man as hard as she could, putting her body weight into it to make his body avert the plant. She came in a little too forceful and ended up landing on her knees at his feet and looking up at him with her tear stained cheeks and bloodied hands, she spoke softly "That plant is poisonous to the touch..." She said the words in a whisper and after speaking them she bowed her head, not able to bear the sight of those cold and vicious eyes any longer. Fresh tears sprung in her eyes, she tried to keep her body still as she could no longer control the heart break this argument had caused her, not realizing that pushing him away from the plant had brought her closer to it and her bare leg laid up against the dark leaves.

[Loda]

Splashing could be heard in the distance as she drew closer to him. There was a deep pain in his heart and he regretted the action, however pride drove him forward even after she called out to him. He was watching forward ahead of him, there was no monster or denizen of the land ahead of him. No ghost swirled above his head and he didn’t intend to stop. As she neared he was slightly nervous of her claws, but figured from her wailing that she didn’t intend him harm. He took in a deep breath to sigh and was about to turn around when she totally threw him off balance and he nearly fell backward into the water. Quickly he righted himself and with the aid of his spear he regained his stature.

He looked at her with a bit of confused rage. She was a miserable sight, the charcoal that had been on her face before now was smeared with the falling tears. The charcoal fell in liquid form down to her clawed fingers and down to the bloodied hands of hers. He could see the pierce marks from where she had dug her own claws into her flesh and he blinked, listening to her words. They were soft and sincere, caring, matching her spirit. He realized what she had done as he looked down to where she was, the plant touching her own leg. Fresh tears sprung in her eyes and he knelt down, making sure to stay away from the plants near him.

“You are weak.” repeated in his mind as if the last ditch effort to inspire him toward hatred toward her. He felt inspired to stand back up and leave her there crying in her blood, but instead he scooted closer. He missed her embrace, he missed her being friendly with him, and he hated what he had said. “I’m poisonous, not the plant..A vile idiot. I don’t know what came over me, what rage still rests on my heart, but it isn’t me.” He reached out to touch her arm softly with calloused hands, not sure if she would even let him touch her. He dropped his spear on the ground next to him and with his other hand he reached out to brush away her tears. “A steady fear has grown on my mind. I don’t know if this land is cursed or what, but I’ve been afraid to tell you how much I have grown to enjoy your presence these last two days. I’ve been afraid that Myri would not approve of our friendship and would declare you an enemy. I’ve been afraid of many things, but I never expected to erupt upon you like that. It was as if some force came over me, some anger bred in the soiled waters of this place that has been here from ancient days. But I am at fault. They were my words, bred from within me and were meant to hurt you.” he paused, “But I don’t want to hurt you. I'm sorry Savacea.”

He lovingly would reach out and brush her leg from the plant’s edge, showing her that she was touching it.

Other's Words ~~ My Words ~~ My Thoughts