Where the adventures begin (Conrad, Tebridiar)

[Aleksi]

4th of Winter, 510AV

Aleksi kept smiling brightly, like a child, ever since she has told Tebridiar how she felt. This time they were supposed to go out towards the Riverfall so the girl could see what the rest of this area looks like.

She gently scratched between Luc's ears before climbing her way up on Nott's back and heading to the gates where she will meet Tebridiar. Once the girl was there, she smiled lovingly as usual and nodded "Hey sweety... I hope you've been well... missed you, quite a bit actually", helping her way up onto the horse, Aleksi grinned and nuzzled against the young woman.
"Hold tight, we're going to be pretty fast this morning".

With a cheeky grin, she leaned down, patting the horse's head and whispering "Come boy, let's have some fun", and just as she was done, the horse started picking up pace. They were out of the Tent City in no time and she, with a huge smile on her face, a long, fur cloak, tight leather pants and fur boots looked more predator-like then ever.

Was it the time of the day or her company? Or the fact that she was heading towards Riverfall? Not many knew, but she, even with all of that was obviously happy. One could easily guess the reason for that one, since her eyes would move back, onto Tebridiar almost every minute.

[Tebridiar]

She was with Aleksi nearly every day now, and it felt wonderful. They grew closer every second they spent in eachothers company, untill they were nearly one unit.

"I've missed you too, Aleksi. So much." She sighed as she adjusted herself to make the horse more comfortable.

Tebridiar smiled as the cool Winter air whipped against her face. She had decided to tie her hair back today, tucking it into the back of her cloak. That way her hair would stay as tug free as she could get it (that hair of her always had a mind of its own, or that’s what it felt like). She felt very vibrant today.

Maybe it was Aleksi, maybe it was riding on the horse, maybe it was just everything. But today felt a little bit different. Something interesting was going to happen, she was itching to explore some more of the wilds of Cyphrus, but she knew something strange was going to happen. It was exciting.

“Another day, another adventure Aleksi!” She called over the whooshing noise of the wind and loud rustle of the grass, and beat of the horses hooves. She wrapped her arms around her kneck, not hanging on or gripping, but sort of letting them flop casually. She had enough support from the strong, confident posture of the beautiful Drykas woman sitting in front of her, enough to just sort of lean against without putting too much effort in to keep your back straight.

She could look and see the endless expanse of grass, it made her feel wild and free. Her heart was truly happy here, but not just because of the wilderness. Because of the woman she loved sitting in front of her.

[Conrad]

Conrad walked through the sea of grass, his loyal parrot perched on his right shoulder. A giddy grin on his face, finally after almost years of being forced to stay inside the city thanks to his overprotective father he was outside! Seeing the majesty of the wild untamed lands for the first time in his life. Although he was already going for almost a week he still wasn't tired of looking around at the vast plane, no building in sight. He hefted his backpack a little higher on his shoulders, before beginning to walk again.
"I really hope we meet a drykas soon, Endrykas is always on the move and only those guy's know where they are at all the times." Conrad rambled to his parrot, not really caring that the bird probably wasn't smart enough to understand everything. "The master told me that hey used some kind of magic that spread like a web through the land, keeping in touch with other practitioners of that type of magic from miles away." He said, a knowing grin on his face. "Though I really don't know how they would communicate where they are with people who can't do it though, and the master always said to me that magic was only to be used under the right circumstances and not to amuse yourself or others with it. The parrot on his shoulder just rubbed his beak against conrads cheek, not having understood a thing about what he was saying, but hoped that if he acted nice he could get at least one of those tasty walnuts again.Conrad just petted him on the head."Fine you big glutton, I'll give you one of those nuts again, just watch out, our your going to be to fat to fly in a few weeks!" he rumbled inside of his rucksack, pulling out a walnut and held it up in front of the parrot. "thank, a lot!" The parrot squawked out as he grabbed the nut and began breaking it open with his strong beak.

[Aleksi]

Aleksi was laughing as the wind moved her hair over the back. Feeling the girl in front of her nuzzles she just sighed happily. Nott started galloping faster and Luc ran right next to him. It was such a pleasure to be riding on such a beautiful creature with an amazing one in your arms and a loyal one next to you. Was this what every Drykas wanted in their life? A big, loving family they could take care of.

Aleksi almost yelled as Nott arched on his back legs and stopped "Down boy, down!". He was still a young one, one that had no experience before Aleksi so noticing something moving in the grass scared him. Luc sniffed and growled towards the moving thing which made Aleksi jump off the horse and whisper "Hold onto the horse Tebridiar love, if it's big, run"

She then crunched down lightly and moved her way through the grass with Luc in front of her to cover her up. The large cat weighted almost 500 pounds, so it looked like a monster inside of that tall grass, growling now and then quietly. His owner was on her knees, right behind him, taking a peek at the young man talking to himself, or the bird... which either way made no sense whatsoever. Sighing quietly, she mumbled under her breath "Another one... lovely... can they let me be for just one day..."

[Tebridiar]

Tebridiar craned her neck, before realising it was useless. She was itching to leap off the horse and join Aleksi, but she didn’t want to be annoying.

She slowly descended from the horse, being careful not to make any noise, incase she attracted the creature towards her. She searched the ground for a few moments, brushing the dust away, searching for tracks. There were none, except hooves from Nott, a few light footprints from Aleksi and the deep imprints of claws as Luc had bounded off. She looked at the grass for possible drops of blood, there were none. It wasn’t injured, and it wasn’t carrying a bloodied meal. Or maybe it hadn’t came in this direction.

What had Aleksi found?

She grew anxious.

She longed to have a bird, a falcon or owl of some sort. She could take care of it, let it fly high, scout for a bit, then it could come back and try to tell her what it had seen. It would help her in her efforts in tracking, she was trying to improve.

“Aleksi?” She called, voice wavering slightly. “Where are you?” She strayed a little further from the horse. He wasn’t the bolting kind. But there was still no sign of her or Luc.

[Conrad]

Conrad looked up in alarm as his parrot suddenly put his head in the air and began too scan the environment. Giving a terrified squawk while he did so.
"Whats the matter little buddy?" Conrad asked, pulling his hand out of his cloak in alarm and began gathering his djed in his arm, slowly but surely his left hand began to bend, twist or otherwise distort his right hand slowly turning it into a rather dangerous looking claw. It looked quite painful as it happened, though all Conrad felt form his hand was a sensation like insects where crawling over his skin.
He carefully began to look around cursing the high grass that he was still amazed about a few moments ago.
"Keep a watch out little buddy," Conrad said to his parrot. "If you hear something just squawk." he carefully continued his walk,both him and his parrot allert for danger. Conrads eyes widned in horror as he saw a big thing sitting in the grass.
"Ack!" Conrad yelped out, pointing his claw in the direction of the beast.
The parrot took one look at the beast, one at conrad and just flew into the sky.
"Ack, save yourselves! abondon ship!" Conrad just blinked as he saw the parrot circle around in the sky. "Well so much for staying together." Conrad muttered to himself." damn cowardly bird." He just looked at the form lurking in the grass.At times like these I begin to doubt skipping those hand to hand combat lessons with the akalak was a good idea.

[Aleksi]

Aleksi grinned as she heard the bird. Well, well, well... this one may actually be useful and as her eyes followed the man, she noticed the hand changing. She actually felt herself gasping for air a few seconds later. Now that's amazing, she thought as she tried to keep herself calm.

Luc seemed to have scared the bird and when it flew off Aleksi couldn't stop herself. She actually fell on the ground laughing her butt off. That was the cutest, little bird EVER and Aleksi just didn't have the heart to scare it anymore, so she stood up, whistling and adding loudly "Come boy", which of course made Luc stand up and calmly walk his way to the woman covered in black leather with white buckles and a big, white cloak. Her necklace was out of the cloak, making sure she showed it off because she was rather proud of it.

She heard Tebridiar calling for her before, but she didn't react cause she didn't want to alarm the man. As she looked back she smiled and showed a Grassland Sign to Nott, which made him walk towards the woman. "Come out love, it's safe..", she added, rather loud as her eyes went back to the man.
"Hello there stranger... I'm Aleksi of the Diamond Clan... what would be the reason you are heading towards the Tent City?"

[Tebridiar]

Tebridiar sat down grumpily. She folded her arms. It was rare that she ever went in huffs, but if Aleksi wasn’t being eaten by some crazy grass tiger or something she was definitely taking her time.

Tebridiar didn’t bother wasting her time trying to call again. If this was ever a time to transform, it would be now. She was worried about Aleksi and she had her best chance of rescuing her and running away and helping her future mate if she could let her run away on her back.

She began to take her clothes off, hopping about through the grass to save time. She burst into an area with shorter grass while she was just getting her last sock off. Her scattered clothes could be recovered later, in emergency…

Oh. My. God.

Tebridiar paused, mid sock-removal, as she noticed a woman and a man with a brightly coloured bird were standing there. Aleksi and some random guy. Right.

Well he certainly got a strange introduction.

Tebridiar opened her mouth to talk, but she just sort of pursed her lips as her cheeks went a funny sort of pink.

She squealed and jumped onto the ground, scraping her tummy, making sure to hide her back as best she could by releasing her hair from its tied up position. She crawled belly first yelling that she was sorry, absolutely embarrassed. She picked up stray garments of clothing as she crawled.

That was going to be the last time she came after Aleksi when she was in danger…

[Conrad]

Conrad just let out a loud sigh of relief when he heard a person laughing in the grass. Before she yelled a few things and stood up. Showing that she was hiding behind the big "Ah good grief, I thought some predator was trying to eat me. good its a tamed one." He eyed the bit cat standing beside the woman with a wary expression." It is a tamed one right?" He asked a bit of fear in his voice.
""Hello there stranger... I'm Aleksi of the Diamond Clan... what would be the reason you are heading towards the Tent City?"
"Eh well, I was just wandering and trying to find it for no other reason then to get a few supplies from there, I kinda left from Riverfall in a hurry, Overprotective parents you know how they are." Conrad gave a nervous smile to the woman. "But I am rambling again my name is Conrad, doctor and mage at your service!" He held out his claw not noticing he didn't change it back, expecting her to shake it.
he looked towards the tall grass as he heard something rustling in the bushes and saw a young girl fall out of the grass, his parrot deciding this was a good time to return and landed on the girls head leaning over so that his head was hanging inches away from the girl's head.
"Well is that one of your friends or should I begin to worry again?" He scratched his head with his normal hand. "besides, nice of you to stick with me till the end little buddy." Conrad muttered darkly.

[Aleksi]

Aleksi giggled quietly as the guy started rambling. A cute kid, she thought before nodding at his question about Luc "Well, I wouldn't say he's tamed... He's a cat.. I don't think you can do that with cats... but we are bonded..". Yes, she liked to call it that way. Drykas loved animals and Aleksi, if in nothing else, was a true Drykas there. She kneeled down and scratched between Luc's ears, pulling out a piece of meat from under her cloak and giving it to the cat.
Her hair waved around as the horse came by, breathing at the back of her neck. She giggled "No, boy, no! Stop it, that tickles!".
Aleksi was truly happy... but then...

Then she saw Tebridiar falling out of the grass completely naked and she just sighed, actually facepalming and laughing at the cute screams of the girl. Shaking her head, she yelled "You ok love or should I come there and carry you around?". Her eyes moved towards the young man and she grinned "Oh, don't worry...she's tamed as well", giggling quietly. The sight of the bird on Tebridiar's head was even more funny so Aleksi was barely able to hold herself back from laughing "I'm guessing that thing on my baby's head is yours?", pointing at the bird she giggled again.