Closed Home Upon Your Shores (Skyard)

[Kaie]

Kaie adjusted her jaw, gaze flickering between Targuv and Skyard as her bondmate boldly stepped past those that harbored him. She did not fear harm from her people for she was just as Myrian as they were. Born, blooded, and marked by the same Goddess Queen just as they had been. Yet her beloved was none of those things and so it was for him the scimitar delayed before its eventual descent back into its sheath in the face of the riders. As Skyard moved closer, the horses seemed more agitated beneath their riders.

When he did speak, there was no fighting the twitch of an approving smile from conquering her expression. He did not choose to lie as some Kelvics did to protect what they were to the rest of the world. Rather he stood tall before one of the most frightening, powerful women in eastern Falyndar...and then he began to disrobe. Targuv's brow fell and her eyes narrowed with confusion. The riders at either of her flanks chirped in the Myrian tongue tones of mockery, but that too faded away when Skyard's pants fell to his ankles. Impossible now to fight the smug mirth evident on his features, Kaie merely met the shocked gazes from her compatriots with a shrug. Even Jeida seemed to thoroughly enjoy the unprecedented boldness the Kelvic displayed.

Before long the azure light Kaie had seen only a handful of times encircled Skyard's figure. The eyes of all other Myrians present widened at the sight, and jaws unhinged at what took the place of the platinum blonde man when it dissipated. The gigantic white lion must've been the second largest feline any of them had ever seen. Contrasting the earthy tones around them, Skyard's mane and coat were stark in their singular beauty. Although their riders were nearly frozen in their shock, the horses suffered no such paralysis.

Immediately agitation evolved into panic. Hooves back-pedaled despite commands and reign-pulling from masters. Heads tossed and fear was plainly vocalized as though their struggle to retreat from the path of the great lion was not obvious enough. One of the horses at Targuv's flank momentarily attempted to flee backward before it resigned to throw its resisting rider. The other rider, clearly more skilled than any of the others in handling the animals, managed to calm his steed and aid Targuv's position by seizing her horse's reigns. In those short moments that followed his initial stand, Kaie didn't think she could've possibly loved Skyard more.

"Anything else," Kaie asked of the War Mistress of the Leaping Fish Clan, trying and failing to hide the smugness she felt in her words. The Myrian woman smoothed her expression back over and sharply shouted a command at her unhorsed companion still battling to regain control of his animal behind her. "You are bonded to this creature then?" Targuv searched for clarity, her gaze unable to part from the sight of the new animal for more than a few ticks at a time.

Kaie reached a hand out to lace her fingers in Skyard's thick white mane before responding. "Yes, it is just as he said." The War Mistress waved off the rider that helped her keep command over her steed. "Then Navre has blessed you. He's your responsibility for the duration he remains in our village." After a confirming nod from Kaie, Targuv and her riders turned their horses around and began a slow trot up the path back toward the Village of the Shining Scales.

"Now I know why you were so concerned about me cutting off his dick. Damn," Jeida mocked Kaie and winked at Skyard before she followed in the trail of hooves. Kaie ran her hand through her bondmate's mane a few times before she scooped up his clothes and retrieved the spear. "I think you've survived the worst of it. Come. Let's see if we can't make a Myrian out of you yet," she teased before she slipped her body up over his back.

The path eventually did reveal the Village of the Shining Scales, a place Kaie hadn't been in years since her initial departure from Falyndar. Little seemed to have changed since she left its shores. The buildings on either side of the dirt path through its center were jacked up on stilts to weather flooding with big thatched roof coverings.

Fishermen carried baskets of their morning catches, carpenters worked away beating fresh-cut logs into boat hulls, and a weary traveler or two could be seen popping in and out of the village's sole tavern and. Up ahead Targuv and her two companions were releasing her horses. And the further Kaie, Jeida, and Skyard moved into the village, the more natives stopped in place to stare at the Myrian riding the great white cat.

[Skyard Underwood]

Everything seemed to work in his favor; he was surprised that she did not hack off his manhood the moment he took it out. She almost looked entertained at the thought of him as he undressed before her eyes, and shifted forms. He heard an exchange of words, and watched as several of the animals they rode upon back away, and move without a hint of indication from their riders. Was the Lion the one that made them panic; how did they recognize that he was a predator even prior to his transformation. Perhaps they were far more perceptive than he had initially realized. For a moment he had forgotten that he was in love with a woman who came from a long history of warriors.

He did not bother to ask any questions, but the moment she teased him he let out a friendly growl and shook his head from left to right in an arc. She had not taken him on as a mount in quite some time, and he stood proudly with his Bond-mate on his back. Kaie guided him into the village that he knew nothing of, and hopefully he would not have to return here in the future. The smells were vibrant, and the people wore loincloths like Kaie did. Headbands, and paint were worn as if they were clothing and they all eyeballed him and Kaie as they rode into the area.

Skyard could do nothing more than wonder what was to come next, and why she seemed to be upset when he told her of a settlement that she knew nothing of in the area. The jungle must have truly belonged to these people, and obviously it was of high importance to her. The Lion wanted to know why it was that she was upset, but then again these lands were native to her people. Perhaps that was the reason why, and she felt as if they invaded space that the barbarians did not belong on. The Kelvic had entirely too many questions to ask; who was that woman he just encountered, and why did it seem that Kaie had to acquire permission to pass through the area?

Perhaps when he could talk, and not be concerned about the people that surrounded them he would ask her. For now all he could focus on was Jeida, and his beloved on his back; she did not get to see his Animal form too often. However, whenever she got the chance she did not hesitate to hop on and make him her steed for the time being. Today she had finally come home, and gave him the opportunity to be forgiven; despite the fact that they had been torn apart all was well now. Several sights were to be had in this particular village; the people seemed to wear bones rather than jewelry. She lived in a society that was far more primitive than he initially thought of it to be. When he imagined Myrian society he thought that it would be similar to Riverfall, but nothing could have been further from the truth. If the others were going to look on he wanted to give them something to hear. The Kelvic paused for a moment and took a deep breath; followed by which he let out an incredibly loud and triumphant roar.

What would come next?

[Kaie]

Even as she swayed with each movement of the great beast beneath her, it was his mind and not his body that perplexed the Myrian rider. She was no mind reader. Nonetheless, their connection was close enough. Something was going on within the lion's head.

Apprehension? No. Confusion? she shook away the trail of thought when a label to the sensation she felt from him was failed with common words. Her people, the Village of the Shining Scales, and Myrian customs celebrated by more than his familiar bondmate would all be brand new to him. Perhaps the sensation she picked up stemmed from something of that nature. In any case, she led her own mood of reassurance flood back toward him in tangent with her pride, which only swelled at the sound of his near-deafening roar.

Those that hadn't spied the great white cat could no longer ignore the beast once they heard his calling. One fisherman dropped his basket, spilling flying fish into the dirt which caused him to curse both with frustration and awe. Jeida glanced over her shoulder at the pair behind her, shook her head and rolled her eyes. Yet before she had completely turned away, Kaie had spied a smile indicating a shared entertainment for their grand entrance. The overall reaction of those that came outside their huts to observe were mixed. Some displayed their weapons in the face of a potential, new danger while others murmured their praise to Navre as though Skyard was of his divine creation alone.

"The good news is, now few will dare to petch with you," Kaie whispered close to her bondmate's furry ear with a laugh. She gave him a series of grateful pats before she slipped off his back. Then she returned to wrap her arms about his mane. "Now we drink, love. Change behind the hut if you like. We'll wait inside." Stares lingered, but she followed Jeida's charge in ignoring the attention. Kaie carefully draped his clothes over his back before following Jeida up the stairs of the village's single tavern.

Inside it was nearly empty. The bar itself was small and only a few tables and stools scattered about the open space. She paused in the doorway, closed her eyes, and inhaled deeply. There sure was no smell quite like that of Falyndar alcohol and Taloba grey. The pair of Cutthroat Shadow women took a table in the far reaches of the room. Only a few other Myrians lingered about to drink at this time of the day, and a lonely Akalak sat alone closer toward the door.

"How does it feel?" Kaie gestured at Jeida's middle. Her younger sister brushed the sentiment off. "Fine. I'll bet the stitches can come out in a few days. Do you plan on bringing him home with us? Back to the clan?" Kaie cocked her head at the questions. Jeida's eyes looked over her head toward the door. "If you do, you're going to have to get your man some new clothes."