Starstone [open]

by **Arev Saatjian** on July 15th, 2011, 2:37 am

Arev growled a little and laid her ears back against her head, trapping the strange stone with veins of luminescent blue between her paws. She sniffed it again, then gnawed on it a little. There was a small spark and she recoiled back, jaws tingling. What the hell was this thing, anyway?

It had been almost a week since she began her stay with Rivaal, and she was quite pleased with this engagement. She'd convinced the Vantha to look after her money, as she had no idea what it was really for. Why humans tossed around pretty metal still made little sense. She understood the concept vaguely, but as far as she could tell, it was useless. Now if they traded in goods or services, that she understood.

The rock was her only trouble. Technically, it was Rivaal's, but she wanted to make sure it was safe. And he was usually out trying to get a job anyway. Why the Shinya didn't want him right away, the Kelvic would never understand.

She growled at the stone again and narrowed her golden eyes, lips rippling back in a primal display of frustration. Whatever it was, it called to the magic that made up her being. But that was hardly an answer. Arev pricked up her ears at the sound of feet on the steps, carrying the stone back to its resting place. She hadn't managed to leave any teeth-marks on it, and she doubted Rivaal would notice the wolf saliva.

She knew it was him. There was no way to mistake the sound of those footsteps on the stairs.

by **Rivaal** on July 16th, 2011, 4:02 am

Rivaal had stopped outside the door and knocked lightly. He was waiting patiently for things to be available. As he was still borrowing the single room, and now living with Arev, he was getting a few odd questions from the widow downstairs. Still, he'd insisted that it was nothing, and that she was helping with the rent. "Arev? You in human form?" he asked. He always asked. If she wanted to effectively communicate with him, it was better for her to be in human form. She didn't have to change back; he never asked her to. It just saved the effort of having to leave and come back in. He wasn't comfortable turning around and waiting.

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Now that he'd knocked, he waited a few minutes before opening the door. "Hey, Arev. I'm back!" He threw his bag down on the floor in one corner, and rested his spear against the wall before dropping onto the bed and laying down. Staring up at the ceiling, he smiled. "I took a walk around different parts of the city to study it, in preparation for a job with the Shinya. Have to know where I'm patrolling."

by **Arev Saatjian** on July 16th, 2011, 4:08 am

"That sounds nice," Arev said cheerfully, smoothing out the tablecloth. She seemed to be in good spirits these days. There was a shine in her coat, a spring in her...pounce? Lope? She had no idea what to call it. "How do you apply to become a Shinya anyway?"

She wasn't certain what she would do with herself, come to think of it. She didn't know magic for the Shinya, and her hunting wouldn't keep them fed forever. She was considering trapping. The creatures up in the mountains grew marvelously thick, soft fur. It would be something on the side to supplement their income. But she didn't know. Most of her skills were wilderness related.

The kelvic had clearly been fletching arrows earlier in the day. The shafts were still sitting on the table as the glue dried and cemented the split arrows in place. It kept her busy and happy.

by **Rivaal** on July 16th, 2011, 4:28 am

Rivaal sat up and watched Arev work for a moment. He still felt a twinge of guilt at letting her work around the house. "I just went down to the Cosmos Center. Then I asked for help in applying to the Shinya. I think I still need to have my skills tested, and I'm not a projectionist like they are, so I'll have to work harder." The thought weighed against him, but he pushed it away.

He wondered if Arev had ever figured out his eyes. Right now, he knew they were a deep green. They always were when he got back every afternoon. After the first couple of days there were small flecks of a robin's egg blue in his eyes, though it wasn't permanent, and when Arev had slept on the bed on the recent rainy night, he had a pale pink in them as well.

"Nice arrows. How many did you end up getting done?" He was trying to make some kind of small talk.

by **Arev Saatjian** on July 16th, 2011, 4:36 am

"Oh, not many. Only twelve. I'm not very good at it, but I learn with practice," Arev said, looking up at him with contentment in her golden eyes. If she'd had a tail, it would have been wagging. "The only thing that confuses me is that stone I found. I have no idea what it is. But it...I am certain it has some magical property to it. Perhaps it fell from the sky in a great stone?"

She'd had plenty of time to ponder her interactions with the Vantha. His eyes bewildered her, but she could usually read his body language well enough. Or, what it'd mean if he were a wolf, anyway. Humans were so confusing sometimes.

The kelvic smiled. "I was thinking of going back to where I found it, perhaps for more clues, and also to hunt. Would you care to come? I'm not sure how worn out you are."

by **Rivaal** on July 16th, 2011, 4:48 am

Rivaal shrugged. "Maybe, though I'm not very good at hunting. At least nothing fast, and if it's slow, it's probably strong enough to tear me in half," he said with a nervous laugh. His eyes darkened to black for the laugh, with flecks of pink and blue as he looked at her.

It was probably for the best that he didn't explain his eyes to her, or that she didn't know at all. It was even better that he didn't know about the flecks in his eyes when they were together, or else he'd never forgive himself. "What are you going to be hunting?"

There was a tug at his heart strings as he realized she could get hurt, and some orange sparked into the colors, and then faded. What was he getting worked up about? She could take care of herself. She was a capable hunter. He doubted he could keep up with her in wolf form anyway, and it'd be dull if he couldn't talk to her. Also, he wasn't very good at stealth, so he'd scare stuff away. Not going was starting to win.

by **Arev Saatjian** on July 16th, 2011, 4:52 am

"Harts, of course," Arev said. She licked her lips a little in anticipation of a good running hunt. "You don't have to worry, if I really want to catch something for dinner, I'll just leave my clothes with you. But I meant to be in this form for most of the time. We could talk, and as I said, maybe we could find out something about that stone."

The blue glow gnawed at the back of her thoughts. She'd dreamt about it, in a confused way that blurred together waking and reality. A dark field, burying it like a seed, the rich loam coming apart under her fingers. Or paws, perhaps. She wasn't sure. And then...then she woke up. Right before something sprouted.

What did it mean?

by **Rivaal** on July 16th, 2011, 5:05 am

Rivaal nodded. That made sense. "I know the stone's bothering you, but I'm sure it's just some weird star rock. We'd have a better shot understanding it by bringing it to the great houses, but they'd probably just want to buy it and show it off." He shook his head. "That was a stupid idea, forget I said anything. Though I don't think returning to the scene you found it in would reveal much. I think it's just another pretty rock."

He got up from the bed and wandered over to the cabinets. He pulled out an apple and took a bite from it. It crunched with sweet juices in his mouth. "Have you eaten anything yet?" The Vantha took a second apple and walked up behind Arev. He leaned over her shoulder and produced the apple in front of her from the side. "Apple?"

by **Arev Saatjian** on July 16th, 2011, 5:22 am

Arev sniffed it with mild interest before taking a bite. "Mmm. Thank you," she said, pleased with the taste. It still couldn't compare with meat, but she was learning to enjoy vegetables and fruits on their own merits. "No, not yet. And it might not be a stupid idea. But do you really think the Houses would be able to discern anything from it? I'm no wizard, but it seems as easy to read as, well, a rock."

The kelvic sniffed the air thoughtfully and then turned her arrows so the glue on the other side could dry in the breeze coming through the open window. "I'm certain it's more than just a pretty rock. I can't explain why, but...it tugs at my nature, the part that lets me shift from form to form. I don't know how to explain it. And what will we do if it is magic?"

She twitched one ear slightly, contemplating this problem. It was too complicated. She wanted to whine and lay her head on Rivaal's feet until he sorted it out. He understood these things.

by **Rivaal** on July 16th, 2011, 5:39 am

Arev had a point. Rivaal sighed and sat beside her at the table. "I only understand flux magic, so I couldn't tell you anything. Even that is uncommon. I only can use it a bit more freely since it's internal and not all that flashy. Theoretically it could be, but one, he wouldn't risk it, and two, he didn't have the skill to begin with.

If he remembered the stories correctly, magical objects were rare, valuable, and only made by a very select few people. If it was magic, someone would want it back, and they would be dangerous. "Arev... I think I will go with you. Something doesn't seem right."