Strange New Friends (Drusilla)

[Kellan Lucia]

Timestamp: 27th of Summer 510AV Location: Sanikas River Considering the the season of Summer was in full swing Kellan decided to head to the Sanikas River. It was not all the time that the citizens of Wind Reach got to leave their volcanic city. It was only in the summer when the snow melted that Kellan could venture past the city gates and out into the land around the city. He did not dare think about leaving though. He loved the city far too much to ever dream of living some where else. He often wondered of the other places that thrived past the walls of his home but he knew that exploring them would have to wait. He could visit the closer towns when he had an eagle of his own and the farther off cities would just have to be a dream to him. He could not imagine going anywhere else. Kellan walked to the water and tried to just take everything he saw in. The grass, the trees, even the hum of the wind. It all was so beautiful. Things had been a bit slow lately so he knew that today was the perfect day to go exploring or at least as much as he could explore in a place he already knew. He was thankful for the ability to go off on his own when ever he felt like it. Sure, he had responsibilities. He was trying to bond with Alwin and there was his ever present rivalry with Beau but it was all life to him. He did not mind the playful banter with his light haired opponent or the slight stresses of trying to bond with an eagle. It kept his life interesting and that is all he really wanted. When things got idle then he would start to stress. When Kellan got to the river it was quiet. The clear water bubbled over the rocks and splashed down its slope that washed down into Thunder Bay. Kellan picked a place in the shade and sat down. He felt the breeze blowing through his red hair and ruffling his loose pants. If there was anything that he loved with all of his heart it was the wind. He loved the way it was unpredictable with its strength. At times it could be so harsh that it could knock over trees and rip homes out of the ground but that element was the same wind that was blowing through his hair now. It carried the eagles and it rushed through his city and in some ways even his soul. Its name was even part of his home's name, Wind Reach. Kellan had no idea what the wind would blow his way today but whatever it was he was just happy for the relaxation.

[Drusilla]

Drusilla had decided to wander toward the river, it reminded her of the better parts of her childhood. Playing at The Grotto with fellow Symenestra childeren. The Grotto was deep within the cave, a place outsiders rarely found. In the complete dark only Symenestra could see like it was high noon. The rocks on the ceiling ranged in color and dripped cool droplets into the large pool of water, the only sound in the silence.

The wind blew Drusilla's long white hair where ever it pleased. As she approched the river she squinted her eyes, with such large pupils the light could be overwhelming. She had been living in the light for six years, yet her eyes never adjusted...much.. Among the long grass blowing in the wind, Drusilla spotted a glimmer of red... An Inarta no doubt, but which one?

She approched the Inarta silently, now closer Drusilla could see 'it' was a 'he'. Judging from his clothes he was high rank... Standing a few feet away she could reconize this young man, she had seen him before. The center of most attention, Kellen. Without a word she sat beside the Inarta, curious as to his reaction of having a human spider beside him.

[Kellan Lucia]

While Kellan was enjoying the wind a speck of white appeared in his perifieral vision. White was a rare color up in Wind Reach. The color was almost non-existant when there was no snow. No one really had white hair and white was not the most popular clothing choice. Kellan turned his head and saw a white haired girl beside him. She was a sight to behold with her light skin, white hair, and large pupils. He knew what this girl was but he could not for the love of Zulrav remember what it was called. He had never seen one in his whole life because the males were not allowed into the city due to their nasty habit of eating people. He knew that the females shared this trait but she was not eating him which was always a good sign. He wracked his brain for what this girls race was called. He felt as though the answer was right outside of his mind. "Selenstra? spinenstra?" he tried out different names in his mind trying to jog his memory. He looked at her quizzically and then it came to him. "Symenstra!" He blushed at his outburst. He worried that he might have offended the white haired girl. "I'm sorry. I was trying to remember what your race's name was. I'm so embarassed. I truely did not mean to make my thoughts verbal." He smiled at her hoping to ease the awkwardness of his exclimation. He turned himself in the grass so he was facing her. "So ms. Symenstra, do I get to know your name? If it helps my name is Kellan." He did not want the girl to think he was rude. So many newcommers in Wind Reach viewed Endal as being stuck up and rude and it was not the case with him. He differed greatly from his Endal peers. He was much more social and accepting than them but people never gave him credit for it. Yes, he loved to mess with the dek but everyone needed to be a jerk sometimes. Besides, he never hurt them like the others did. He always messed around, maybe even poured a drink over their head, but he never hurt them. He wanted to think that made him better but deep down he knew it didn't.  Kellan looked at the young girl and cocked his head "What brings you all the way up here to Wind Reach anyway? Are you just passionate about eagles or is there some deep underlying reason?" He was trying to be funny. He knew that if he was new to a town he would want someone to make him feel welcome. "Whatever the reason, welcome." he gave her his ever present smile and looked out over the river. He did not think that his little trip to the river was going to bring him a new friend but he was happy for it. New people were always exciting. Sort of like new books. Although, books were a rare treat to an Inarta. This girl seemed to be the same. It was not every day that an Inarta met a Symenstra. It was nice to see someone who's hair was not fiery like his. It was to put it plainly, quite refreshing.

[Drusilla]

She turned to him deep purple eyes scanning him, "My name is Drusilla Aster. I've lived here for six years, my reason why is not easily explained." Her voice was soft and a bit deeper than one would think, but pretty all the same. " If I may ask, why haven't you run from me? Humans don't take well to Symenestra, but then again neither do I..." When Drusilla spoke, if one watched carefully enough they would see that she controlled her mouth's movements carefully, because show a venomous fang could sour the sweetest speech.

"I thank you for your welcome, Kellen." She stopped to think for a moment..." You were the one who caused the ruckus during the Deks' feeding were you not?" While she refused to simile, Drusilla was in good spirits. She looked up at the tree she sat under, fruits hung high in the air. Looking closer she could she song birds eating at the fruits, they were edible... "She looked to Kellen, " Do you fancy a snack?" Drusilla asked removing her shoes. The fruit was out of human reach, but then again Drusilla was far from human.

[Kellan Lucia]

The girl's voice was a bit deeper than Kellan expected it to be. It had a tinge of sweetness to it though. He girl wanted to know why he was not scared her. The answer was simple. After a man has stared down a cliff named the edge of the world there was little he was afraid of. He had stared down that seemingly bottomless gorge more times that he cared to remember but the electricity, the pure rush of the situation made it an experience that he often looked forward too. Kellan strugged "After jumping off cliffs on the back of an eagle there really isn't a lot of things that scare me." He smiled to let her know that he was not being entirely serious. "Besides, I am an Inarta sitting here without my bow and arrow and no eale in sight. If you wanted to kill me you could have done it by now. Actually, you could have done it while I was distracted by answering this question." Kellan trusted the girl would not do him harm. She would not have been let past the Sanikas Gates if she was a Inarta eating monster. The Valintar knew better than to willing let a threat to the people into the city and trusted their decision. The girl seemed to talk in a very protected manner. She seemed to be hiding something behind her sweet exterior and Kellan noticed. It was not a dangerous hiding but it seemed almost as if she was hiding something that she was ashamed of similar to when Konti hid their scales. Kellan felt bad that she felt the need to hide what ever she was trying to keep hidden. He had never been in a situation where he had to hide anything because everyone he was around had similar features to him. The majority of Wind Reach shared his light skin, flaming red hair, and bold colored eyes. He wanted to tell the girl not to worry about hiding but he felt as though saying that would be out of line. Somethings were better left hidden in some cases. He had learned that lesson well from his friend Lyra. One misplaced question could shatter a moment in seconds. He wanted to be more careful with his words from now on. It did not take long for the topic of Kellan's dek harrassment to come up. Kellan laughed and placed his face in his hands. "So you saw that huh?" He ran his fingers through his thick red hair and let out a chuckle. "Wow, you must think I am a jerk right?" He did not expect any non-Inarta would have witnessed his little show in the eating commons. His people knew how it went with the dek. They were the jokes of the town. A person of high caste could do anything to them without it really being looked down upon. Outsiders on the other hand did not know the social norms of the city and he worried that he may have given the Symenstra girl a terrible first impression. Kellan shook his head trying to get his messy red hair to fall back into place. "Yes, that was me. I have to admit I do enjoy messing with the little drudges. That Vanir and his little friend with the cane are just a little too proud for my liking." He knew that the comment would make him sound terrible to Drusilla but he said it anyway. It was better it came out now than her seeing him being a jerk to a dek later on with no explination. The Symenstra slipped off her shoes and asked Kellan if he wanted a snack. He was not sure where the girl would find one. She did not seem to be carrying any with her and he did not see anything edible laying around. Then he looked up and saw the fruits laying plumply from the tree. They did look quite good. They were very far out of both of their reaches though. Kellan was a bit embarassed at the fact that the two of them were the same height. He would have loved to look manly and get the fruit himself but sadly, he was only 5'6, a height that he constantly got ridaculed for. He gave Drusilla a small smirk. "Yeah, the fruit looks great but how are you going to reach it? It is pretty high up there." It was not everyday that Kellan met someone his age who was not taller than him. It give him one of those rare oppertunities where he could make a remark about someone not being able to reach something that he himself could not reach. Kellan looked at the girl to see how she would get the fruit. Maybe it was something to do with her race. He knew very little about the Symenstra so he watched in antisipation. This day was only just begining to get interesting.

[Drusilla]

"You know, spiders can fly too. Not Symenestra, but spiders." She placed a hand on the trunk of the tree, now visable were her black claw-like nails. She didn't care, "They weave a sac-like structure out of silk, the silk is light enough to be picked up on the wind and the spider sails away over oceans and cliffs. Yet, if you go to kill a spider it will most certainly be afraid." Her other hand was placed on the tree high above her head.

"As for if I'm a danger to you...I'm guessing your weight is around or over 100lbs, to eat you I would have to poison you then wait a good five to six hours for you insides to liquify before I even attempted to eat." A foot was placed on the tree. "Symenestra cannot eat solid food besides fruits and some vegetables, and when it comes right down to it, if I'm hungry I want to eat now. So I rarely eat anything other than what can be eaten on the spot." Her last limb moved to the tree, and she climbed somehow gripping nothing, she just climbed.

"I feel for the Deks because they remind me of how I was treated by my step-mother as a child. You're not a jerk, but you do have displaced anger. Did something happen to you that made you angery?" Drusilla had reached the upmost branches and sat deciding on her meal, she picked a fruit and another."Vanir, so that's his name... If you ask me, with a little soap and water and some clean clothes, he'd clean up nicely. Might even give you a run for your money." Although unable to be seen, her voice gave away a smile.

"Look out below!" She said with a bit of laughter, before a large sum of fruit fell from the tree. When the fruit had stopped Drusilla dangled from a branch, letting go and landing on all fours. She sat down and looked at Kellen, who looked bewildered by what had just happened. She tried hard not to smile, but it was no use..from a smile to giggling to full out laughter. She had no control, her pointed fangs showing long and sharp.

[Kellan Lucia]

Kellan never knew that fact about spiders. He rarely even saw them in truth. The climate up in Mt. Skyinarta was far too cold and windy for the creatures. Still, on occasion some brave little spiders appeared in town. Much like his new friend it seemed. She had no fear in hiding the way should would have killed him if she had wanted to and even less fear about sharing the not so pleasant facts about her eating habits. Kellan admired that though. She was no afraid to hide who she was. It was a trait he had always admired since Toran had died. His late brother never seemed to be shy about his odd behaviors and this girl seemed to be the same. Although it was easy to say that Toran's odd little quirks where not as outstanding as Drusilla's. He watched her climb in amazement. Never in a million years would be be able to scale a tree that expertly. Mostly for the reason that he just did not really know how to climb trees that well.  When Drusilla reached the top of the tree she began to talk about Vanir and how Kellan's teasing was displaced anger. Then she asked possibly the worst question he could have asked him. "What happened that made you so angry?" It was a question that the citizens of Wind Reach had come to learn was off limits. Although Kellan put on a happy front his life was far from charmed. His twin brother was dead and along with him his family had been torn apart. Kellan had not talked to his parents in two years. Granted it was hard to keep away from his parents. Wind Reach was not the largest city one could live in. Kellan knew why he was angry. He was reminded every time he saw his reflection. His twin brother, his mirror image had died in his arms and he could not do anything to save him. Kellan bit his lip and looked down at the grass. "Somethings are better left unsaid." He could not bring himself to answer her question. It was bad enough that she had forced him to admit the fact to himself. He could not say it out loud.  Kellan was lost in his daydreams now. The memories of Toran kept coming back and he did not want to remember them. There was so much that he wished he could change. He wanted to make everything up to his awkward gwaky brother but it was too late. He had fifteen years to make it up to Toran and be never took the chance. His thoughts were unteruped by a call from Drusilla and a falling torrent of fruits. He ducked as a few fell onto his exposed head. He looked at her and she started to giggle exposing her sharp fangs. Kellan fought the urge to smile back. He was supposed to be upset for Zulrav's sake! Yet Drusilla's fangy smile garnered Kellan's own smile to come out. He could not help it. As he had always told himself "Sadness is easy because it is surrender to emotion. Happiness is harder to obtain but worth every second". He let the pain of his ruined home life slip away for now. He knew it would come back. It always did. For now he would be happy. "Looks like I underestimated you Drusilla. Looks like I have an expert climber on my hands. You've certianly come to the right place for that. It is just rocks upon rocks around here. So much climbing and in my case, so little interest in it." He picked up a fruit and bit into it. It was refreshing on the hot summer day. He looked at Drusilla. "So other than being an expert climber and having a taste for fruit what else should I know about you" He was genuinely interested in this girl. He wanted to know more about her and her race. The lack of books in Wind Reach made it's citizens avid questioners. If they could not. Read about it then they had to learn from word of mouth.

[Drusilla]

Drusilla took a bite of thefruit chewing it longer than any human would, " First off, let me apologise for what I said earlier as it seemed to upset you and because it is none of my business."

"As for about me, one would have to start with the Symenestra race itself to understand me. So I'll start there. I, like many Symenestra was born in Kalinor. Although our race once lived in treetops, but that was a very long time ago..." She took another bite. "When it comes to religion most worship Viatas, the god of blood. We can live to be around 90 and our height is 5-6"5. We, to most human's shock have very delicate skeletons. A hit that would break your arm Kellen, would shatter mine.."

"The reason I am able to climb is that Symenestra have microscopic hooks on our skin." Drusilla held out her arm to allow Kellan a closer look or if he was brave enough to touch her arm and attempt to feel the small hooks. "We speak Symenos, some find it entrancing to hear while others find it down right creepy." She withdrew her hand,"Moz seh krevas dav'ene us obris zhevat. That is a prayer said over a meal."

"Now to the more grisly part of Symenestra and the reason I came here, reproduction and the harvest of female surrogates." Drusilla sighed heavily as this topic was almost her entire reason for fleeing Kalinor. She braced herself for the information she was about to tell, "I warn you Kellen, you may think my kind is very lowly for what I'm going to tell you. The only other Inarta whom know this are Brunhild and Val..." Drusilla looked at him with her large purple eyes, sadness filled them at this moment. "If it becomes too much to bear let me know...and I will stop. But if you really want to understand everything, this is the ungodly core of Symenesta. I am not afraid to tell you, just ashamed of the facts myself. Shall I begin?"

[Kellan Lucia]

The tension was off when the girl apologized. In his mind once someone had said they were sorry there was no reason in staying upset. No one could change what had happened, they could only look towards the future. It was the only thing they had. If Kellan constantly looked to the past he would be no where. He had spent a whole year, probably more mourning the past and he was not going to ever do that again. He was a new man, or so he liked to think he was. As Drusilla spoke of her race he saw pride in her. Kellan admired that she was not embarrassed of her race. He knew that if the Inarta made a habit of injecting people with poison and eating them he would not be so nonchalant about talking about his killing methods. Still, to each their own. Just like his race may have been odd to his new friend with their riding and conversing with giant eagles, he still had to respect her and her race. He had no issue with the symenstra as long as they were not trying to eat him. As Drusilla held out her arm to show the small hooks that lined her skin Kellan debated whether to reach out and feel her arm. He bit his lip nervously and looked at her. "May I?" He did not wait for an answer though. If she was holding her arm out she obviously was giving him an invitation to feel the hooks. He reached his hand out gingerly and felt her arm. As his finger grazed over the hooks he felt a chill run down his spine. He had to admit, the feeling was odd. It as something he was not used to. Still, he repeated the mantra, to each their own. Everyone in the world was different and within that fact laid the beauty of the world. It made it possible for a girl like Drusilla and a guy like Kellan to coexist, quite well it seemed. Kellan took a bite of the fruit and continued to listen to Drusilla talk about her race. She seemed at one point to reach a stop in her story. She warned that what she was about to say might bother him and she wanted to know if she should go on. He did not want to insult Drusilla though so he nodded yes. He was worried, as any man would be but what ever he heard was just facts and the people living in those facts were far away from his Wind Reach home.

OOCSorry that took so long. Things have been hectic. Its calm now though.

[Drusilla]

Dusilla smiled sadly, " Female Symenestra die during childbirth, I lost my mother this way... The baby's venom attacks the mother, making her the baby's first meal. Because of this, Symenestra now kidnap women of different races, we call these women 'surrogates'. They are brought back to the cave, and placed in an area that only a Symenestra could escape. They are given whatever they wish. Then a couple will select the surro and the male will sire with her whether she likes it or not. She is then placed on a special diet. As long as she obeys nothing bad shall happen except dying durring the birthing. I've heard a story of a surro who refused to eat, she had her limbs severed."

Drusilla picked up another fruit eating it slowly," My siblings were born this way, a brother by a Kelvic......and......Twins by an Inarta eagle rider.....I was close to her, she never disobeyed. I offered to help her escape, but she turned me down....To me she looked like an angel...Her name was Avalon. I saw her corpse after giving birth, it made me cry. Nobody cared about a surro dying. Avalon's death truamatized me, I can still see her alive and dead... It was then I knew I had to leave. They had such little regard for life."

"Anyway, a male can only sire thrice. If a halfling has a Symenestra father the gene takes over making them just as a full. But if a halfling has a Symenestra, they have many traits of the mother but are truely a half. A mother can withstand the poison of a half. Although halfs by mothers are looked down on." Drusilla looked at Kellen with all honestly, "I would much rather birth a half... I have ill feelings about my kin. They would be a Dek, unless I taught them weaving and sewing. Which I would!"

She smiled closing her eyes,"There is a group of female Symenestra who feel the same as me... I had two good female friends, I bet they joined. I wish," Drusilla opened her eyes," that more females would come here and we could start a sub-race of mountain Symenestra... The crossbreeding would lessen the poison.. Oh well, wishfull thinking I guess." She looked to the river, smiling.