Join In All The Seahorse Games!

[Natalina]

Fall 2nd, 508 AV Natalina was floating, flying on the water. Her arms were outstretched, toes pointed, and head thrown back. White hair created a crown. Seaweed green eyes were closed, canceling both the sun and the surrounding environment out. Narrow lips were curved upward in relaxation. In an attempt to keep her dress from becoming see-through, Natalina had chosen to only wear her undergarments while swimming. The water was cool to the touch, offsetting the hot sun. The liquid appeared to be only a little deeper than Natalina was tall, but illusions were always tricky. A soft breeze carried the sweet smell of salt and tickled Natalina's nostrils. With the warm sun beating down, Natalina almost fell asleep. Almost. She would have, if something had not nudged her pointedly in the middle of her back. Stiffening out, Natalina frowned. Had he really found her so soon? Again, another nudge. This time harder. Persistent beast! Sighing, Natalina let her feel drop into the water below. Arms were extended to keep her elevated on the water. Back and forth in small motions with mainly her lower arms. Under the surface, feet were kicked lazily to keep her from sinking. The water was clear so close. Nearly a foot away, Natalina spotted him. Lurn, the seahorse she had created a bond with. He was dominantly a red shade with white and orange mixed in. Bumps covered his body, making him look more like a piece of coral than anything else living. A long snout seemed to almost hide a smirk. Two bumps created eyebrows, making him look meaner than he actually was. A pouch was located on Lurn's stomach, though Natalina did not know for what. Lurn was a protective seahorse that adored human interactions. There was a playful side hiding within the seahorse and he had been known to prank Natalina on more than one occasion. Moving forward, Lurn pushed Natalina's stomach and raced backward. To do such movements, Lurn had to move his tail, something that looked like a dorsal fin which was located on his lower back. This helps transport Lurn back and forth. The tail is used to wrap around objects when one wishes to not move. The pectoral fin, located under the jawline on the neck, controls which way the seahorse is going to turn. Swimming seems more like gliding through the water with gentle movements. Seaweed eyes narrowed. "So that's how it is, is it?" Reaching out, Natalina tried to grasp Lurn's scales. The seahorse bounced out of reach, tossing his head dramatically. When the seahorse began to circle her, Natalina tried to keep up. Every now and then, she would splash at the surface and smack solidly. "You little bugger. I'm not playing tag!" Lurn seemed to have gotten the message and bumped her apologetically. Taking her chance, Natalina knocked him on the head with her hand and dove away. "Tag!"

[Pash'nar]

Summer's warmth had yet to entirely fade into the coolness of Autumn in Mura, having only just changed seasons while Pash'nar was at sea. After happily depositing his industrious, red-headed young passenger onto the docks, the ethaefal found he had no real desire to go anywhere else right away, as long as anywhere else meant taking a break from the girl who had spent their entire trip sanding and hammering and whining about the condition of his lovely ship. This was not, of course, his first time on the White Isle surrounded by all the lovely pale women he could ever dream up in his immortal mind, and so he resolved to take his time enjoying the place of introspection once again. Mura had a rather decent dry dock as part of her port, and while he would never admit it to Tock's face, her complaints had not been entirely unwarranted. The dark-haired navigator found himself slightly inspired to do his own more purposeful maintenance on The Timeless, but had been told by the portmistress that he would have to wait a few days before there was room for his little casinor to get some much-needed attention. He didn't complain, knowing it meant he'd just have to spend more time with the Konti on their little island. He left the dock and his boat and decided a walk on the beach was in order after sunrise, not quite feeling ready for the city proper, despite knowing full well it was practically a city full of women. It'd been two whole tendays at sea, not even alone, and clearing his often over-crowded mind felt necessary and refreshing. The White Isle's contrast from Sunberth—from anywhere, really—was almost detoxifying in itself, though the tattooed sailor knew that for him, at least, Mura held plenty of its own delicate, scaled distractions. Carrying his sandals, he'd tied up his pants at his knees, meandering with as little thought as possible through the still-warm, crystal clear surf where the tide met the pale sand of the beach. He'd shrugged off his vest, too, wrapping his sandals in a tidy package to make it easier to carry in one tattooed hand. Once he left the bustle of the port itself, wandering past a few rocks and blond-haired fishing lovelies, he soon found himself alone with the familiar, steady rhythm of the waves and his own pulse. For a while, Pash'nar simply considered the events of the past several days, his ribs finally no longer aching and his casinor's worn wood perhaps a little less creaky than he was used to. He thought about the girl, Tock, who he'd saved from drowning and willingly sailed here to Mura, not knowing what the petch he'd agreed to. She wasn't so bad, to be honest … she had her own issues, and the tattooed sailor had just decided it was in his best interest not to pursue her history too deeply. Whatever she had escaped from Sunberth had been a bad thing, and he understood that he wasn't the only one with a past he'd rather bury than revisit. Rounding some rocks, calloused fingers trailing along the salt-worn surface while the waves washed above his knees, he heard splashing. "Tag!" Rang out in the quiet, above the crashing surf, and the dark-haired navigator peered around the large rock assuming he'd find a handful of Konti children playing in the surf. Instead, a young woman and what appeared to be a seahorse chased each other in the dip of deeper water just past the shore. He leaned against the cool, still-wet stone and watched for a moment, curious, having never quite been so close to a seahorse so large. While his time at sea and with other Svefra had left him with decent swimming abilities, he envied the Konti's gills. Their freedom in the ocean was rivaled only by charoda, surely. As the two continued to toy with each other, Pash laughed, forgetting he had not announced his presence. It was a little coarse, eroded by all his time at sea, but not quite as quiet as he had intended. Cerulean eyes blinked and his free hand strayed to rub at the budding warmth of chagrin that burned the back of his neck, fingers tracing the compass and moon tattooed there above the manta ray that spanned his back and the delicate inked lines and symbols that crawled from his fingertips to his shoulders. "Petch," he muttered under his breath before putting on a smile instead and speaking up over the washing of the tide and hoping he wouldn't just scare them off, all ink and tanned skin, "Ahoy!"

[Natalina]

Lurn recovered quick. Within seconds, his large body was propelled through the water and he gave chase. Natalina struggled to outwit him, diving to the side again and again. Her face was repeatedly covered in cold water as she splashed. More than one mouthful of liquid was swallowed. It was obvious Natalina was not the most graceful swimmer, nor was she the most skilled. Her arms flailed awkwardly, legs were kicked unsuccessfully. On top of the water, she could do little more than a doggy-paddle or float in place. Underneath the frosty tipped waves, Natalina appeared as a constantly moving straight line. Her arms would create a V starting at her chest and separating outward. Legs would be kept together and move together in shapes akin to waves. The feeling of her skin separating the particles of liquid... Was majestic. Rivaled only by the riding of seahorses. Nothing could beat gliding through the sea on the back of a creature twice, if not three times, bigger than you. The feeling was irreplaceable and unique. When she surfaced to look for the seahorse, Lurn snapped the tight band surrounding Natalina's bust. His teeth had gently grasped the cloth on her back and quickly released. A loud "snap!" echoed through the water as vibrations. Lurn then proceeded to run away. If a seahorse could cackle, he surely would have been. The unexpected burst of pain arched Natalina's back. Before taking off after the incessant beast!, Natalina checked to make sure her band had not broken. No, it was still intact. Thankfully. If it had not been, Lurn would have been in deep trouble. "C-c-come back here, you you you oversized m-m-monster!" Natalina called after him, diving back under the water. The seahorse toyed with her, waiting for Natalina to come within arm's distance and then backing up. Time and time again, she reached forward only to have the beast evade. How frustrating! The tips of her fingers felt the liquid move, tried to grasp, and failed. Thin lips pursed. A thinking mind began to work. How could she out-maneuver him? Swimming him was out of the question. Speed was out of the question. And then it hit her. Outsmart him. The next time Lurn moved within her grasp, Natalina waited. Just a little closer. Closer… Bam! At the same time as her arm outstretched in a feint, her foot knocked against his tail. Lurn appeared surprised, jerking back. Natalina took her chance, dove down under him and came up behind. The seahorse was still bewildered, head whipping back and forth to locate her. Legs and arms latched onto the underwater horse. She was careful to not block his dorsal fin, sitting above it. Her legs were folded to rest along his sides and her hands held onto the bumps covering Lurn's body. The seahorse jumped, startled. Realizing it was Natalina, Lurn jerked forward and raced through the water. Riding a seahorse was akin to watching a strand of seaweed in the water; back and forth in gentle caresses, sometimes up and down. Strange if one was not used to riding in general, but pleasant once one got the hang of it. Water raced past Natalina's ears, blocking all noise out. Her hair whipped behind her in the water, a white mess. If they had been above the sea, tears would have dripped from the fast pace. How exhilarating! A smile made its way across her mouth and a giggle escaped. The ride only lasted a few ticks before Natalina let go, floating to the surface. Treading water, she laughed outright. An infectious sound that was loud and boisterous. Pure, unbridled joy. ...And then she heard the other person. Slowly, her mouth closed. A possessive hand sought Lurn's neck, who nudged her companionably, most likely looking for a treat. Green eyes searched the area once, twice… There! By the rocks. A tan man resided, watching them. How long had he been there? Had he accidentally stumbled upon the pair? Deciding being quiet was most likely not the response the man sought, given how he seemed friendly, Natalina called back, "N-n-nice day for a-a-a swimmm!"

[Pash'nar]

Cerulean eyes had drifted to the seahorse while waiting for a response, staring at the large creature with unabashed curiosity. It was an interesting surprise, indeed, to have stumbled upon the pair during what he thought was a quiet walk alone. The markings on the sea horse were fascinating and he wondered what such a watery beast felt like. The Konti's voice snapped him out of his idle observation and he bobbed his dark, top-knotted head back in her direction with a slow, distracted smile, "Is't now?" He returned in his own broken, unrefined Common. He'd been speaking it for decades and yet had never particularly felt the need to try to hard to sound entirely civilized, preferring Fratava when at sea anyway. If he noticed her stutter, he only hung on it a moment, assuming her Konti was simply an easier language for her than Common. Standing knee deep in the cool water with the warm sun on his back, making the sea glass in his hair sparkle, he leaned a tattooed shoulder against the rock, the other hand dangling his vest with sandals in it just above the calm ebb and flow of the waves. It was nice enough to swim in, he supposed. Summer's warmth was slowly fading from the water and receding from the air in the evenings since Autumn was beginning to creep into view. "Oh, aye, it's nice 'nough I s'pose. Water's still warm an' it ain't cold 'til after sunset from what I can tell 'ere." The tattooed sailor finally added after a few moments of silence, curling his toes into the sand beneath them, "Mayhaps a bit nicer when you've got someone to swim with, eh?" He nodded in the direction of the sea horse to emphasize the topic of his companionship implication, making sure not to incriminate himself into a self-invitation to join them without permission, "Issat one … uh … your pet?"

[Natalina]

Natalina could not see the man's actions, given his back was at the sun. It appeared he was looking at something, but what? A quick glance around showed no one and nothing strange. The beach was deserted, the water was clear. Only her and Lurn, who stayed beneath the gentle waves. A normal occurrence for Natalina, who inhabited liquid more than land. Unless… The stranger had never seen a seahorse? A strange idea indeed and one Natalina had to struggle to wrap her mind around. From the quick glance she had seen of him, his skintone appeared dark. A sure sign of being in the sun. And traveling to Mura was only possible with a boat of some sort. The chances of spotting a seahorse were enormous. Or were they? Natalina had really only known Lurn, who went out of his way to make contact with two legged individuals. Had he even heard of seahorses? A hard kick kept Natalina from sinking under the water. Soon enough, her legs would become weary from the constant exercise. A droplet of water raced down her face, following the curvature of her cheeks, dancing beside her parted lips, and dripping into the water below. Lurn nudged her leg, swimming around her in wide circles. Strange behavior for the seahorse. Perhaps it was because she did not pay him attention? Or was it because there was a male near him? Females did not bother Lurn, but Natalina had not had a chance to associate him with any guys. Very few males were on Mura, after all. Was Lurn a pet? The wild creature who was a companion by choice and a friend by nature? Did Natalina view him as a pet? No. To be a pet meant to be owned or to be completely tame. To her, it meant being loyal to one person or having complete control over a beast. Lurn was a wild animal, free to go where and when he wanted. The actions were unpredictable at best and downright dangerous at worst. Commands were not known, even if tones of voices were. Or perhaps the seahorse was intelligent enough to understand? How could she consider him a pet when she did not even know where he was half the time? When she had not seen him at his worst? The idea was preposterous. Such a magnificent creature could be owned, but not called a pet. "No," she called back, "he's j-j-just a friend. He w-w-will not bite!" Quietly, under her breath, she muttered, "or should not." If Lurn did decide to be hostile, a very low chance, Natalina would do everything possible to keep the seahorse from attacking. As it was, Lurn really paid no mind to the man and was still swimming circles around her. A quick clap of her hands underwater brought the creature up short, confused. Slapping her hand against the outside of her thigh, Natalina was relieved when Lurn made his way toward her, slowly. A gentle hand reached out to massage the bumps on the seahorse's head, keeping him nearby and only somewhat under control.

[Pash'nar]

Pash’nar watched both the creatures of the sea: the young Konti treading water with enviable ease and the giant seahorse he’d never been so close to. If it indeed didn’t have sharp teeth, then maybe he could get closer to it still. While he’d been living on and around the ocean long enough to have seen, touched, and probably eaten plenty of various Suvan wildlife, he was not blessed with any marks of Laviku nor had he been born with gills, so some of the more interesting mysteries of the ocean were completely unattainable to him. After over a century of swimming, he could hold his breath long enough, but it was obviously not the same as being able to breathe water itself like air instead. “Well, if it ain’t gonna bite me, can I, uh, touch it? I ain’t seen anythin’ like it this close, let ‘lone up’n’personal-like.” Gods, that sounded rather awkward. But, really, when was he going to happen on a giant seahorse who seemed to actually like … people? Ever? He hadn’t traveled with a Svefra pod and their tavans for decades. He’d almost purposefully avoided such contact. Maybe if he stayed longer on Mura he’d see more of such creatures, but, well, that thought was as dangerous as it was exciting to the dark-haired navigator. He smirked to himself at the idea, hoping his momentary flash of his thoughtful expression wasn’t as deviant on the outside as it felt on the inside. He added almost too quickly, turning away to examine the giant stone next to him as he spoke, “I mean, unless you’d rather not have any swimmin’ guests.” He still didn’t entirely wait for a response. The jutting, tide-carved rock he leaned against was porous, full of nooks and crannies and rough-edged shelves. He shifted his gaze away from the pair in deeper water to glance down at his shoes and vest he'd so far managed to keep dry enough on his walk far from the docks, reaching up to shove them in a crevice out of the reach of the tide. Inked, calloused hands then rested on his belts, removing them to keep the metal and various contents of his pouches both out of the water and from weighing him down. His pants, light linen that they were, he kept, though more for politeness among strangers than any sense of convenience. If he was going to so casually invite himself along for a swim, the tattooed sailor decided staying decent would at least make a better first impression, despite the location being an island populated almost entirely by lovely, sea-faring women. Petch, it really could be distracting here. Why did he always find an excuse to leave, anyway? Oh, right. It was still an island populated almost entirely by women. That could sometimes be reason enough to leave as much as it was to stay. Honestly. Chewing a salty bottom lip as he attempted to put away his thoughts along with safely stowing his belongings in the nooks of the large stone, Pash’nar finally returned his attention to the Konti and her not-pet-but-friend, though he waded a bit deeper in anticipation of a more invitational response. The water wasn’t cold, but it wasn’t warm either. He winced as the sea lapped above his waist, suddenly deciding he should dig up some manners before he scared away both creatures, “Name’s Pash’nar, by the by.” He offered, confident that she would know he was more a visitor or a tourist than a resident simply by his gender, if not by his more seafaring appearance.

[Traverse]

Natalina

Skill	XP Earned
Observation	2 XP
Riding [Seahorse]	1 XP
Swimming	1 XP
Tactics	1 XP

•	Lores Earned
•	Tag With Lurn
•	Outsmarting a Seahorse
•	The Thrill of an Underwater Ride
•	Pash'nar: A Strange Sailor

Additional Comments :

And I got it, Seahorse interaction, woo!

Alright, so again not a lot to through out, but hey, some riding and swimming XP is always good for Natalina. I really enjoy how she seems to have such a fragile, yet wonderful personality that comes out when put with creatures, making a nice twist on social interactions with other PC's. If you have any questions about my grades, lemme know!

Yes, I Bite.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, please send me a PM and we can figure it out.