Open Head In The Sand

[Briza]

3rd of Summer, 514AV

Her head heart. There was a pounding in her ears remiscent of having drank too much ale, but she hadn't been drinking. She groaned as she pressed her fingers into her temples, the pressure relieving some of the pain.
With a drawn out sigh she crawled out of bed. As she usually did, her skin was bare in her sleep, she preferred to 'air out' after the days activities, besides, it was quite warm.

She found her clothes where she'd thrown them the evening prior and pulled them on as quick as she could, before pulling on her black katinu, flipping the hood over her head. She suddenly felt the urge to stretch, and so she did, her hands above her head and her back curved like a cats.
It relieved some of the pressure in her head but nowhere near enough to make her feel sane.

She exited her apartment and began walking, eyes on the ground and not watching where she was going. Braije would have to stay stable for the day, she was not dealing with his attitude, even if riding was preferrable to walking.
Her lips curled into a slight smile as she thought of the poor stable boys dealing with his antics. He'd served her well until now, however, and most days she found his trickery endearing and amusing.

Briza finally raised her head and looked around, noticing other accomodations around her, though they looked a tad more prestige than her humble apartment. She continued down the path she was taking until she noticed an imposing building seemingly built into the sides of the cliff. "Fascinating," she stated under her breath, staring up at it in awe. She didn't think today, with her headache, would be a good time to try and scale that specific path however, so she continued on.

Eventually she found herself looking down over the cliffs. She supressed a shudder at the thought of crashing into the rocks below. Even if she survived, the ocean would have her for a morning snack.
She had stopped and decided maybe she could explore thise area a little more, and so was happy to find steps leading down the cliff. let's hope it doesn't end in a dead drop she sighed as she started down the slightly precarious path.

She found herself on some sort of platform, judging from the birds around, it was an area for bird watching. She suddenly burst into laughter; such a thing would be viewed as ludicrous in Wind Reach, one did not bird watch, one flew with them!

She found a relatively clean bench and sat down to stare out to sea, but ended up closing her eyes and drifting off into a peaceful sleep. I hope they don't poop on me was her last thought as she dropped into slumber.

[Calters]

Calters sat on the cliff, his tail dangling off the edge and slapping the rock below. The birds overhead, although different from the wings of his own, were beautiful in an entirely new way. They yapped and cooed at each other noisily, never once minding the Akvatari observing them.

Cal pulled out his journal and a piece of charcoal slowly, so as not to disturb the lively creatures. He flattened a page on his thigh, picked up the charcoal, and gently rubbed the blackness over the page. What he then held was a rub of his knee. It was smooth for the most part but faintly fuzzy at the very bottom where his fur began.

Once he was satisfied with the fully darkened page Cal looked around to check that no one was watching. Secure in his isolation, the artist licked his thumb and drug it along the page. While the saliva didn't wipe away the color entirely, it did cause a smear in the texture which he found particularly creative.

After a few chimes of work, Cal had produced art unlike anything he had made before. It wasn't in any shape or picture, not really. It was an abstract work, coated with swirling darkness and a spiraling lack of color. Although it wasn't modeled after anything, Calters felt a familiar tug in his mind. It looked like he was feeling! Dark, smeared, confusing and lost...

Satisfied, the Akvatari ripped the page from his journal and held it in the air to examine. Before long, Calters felt the negative thoughts rushing back into his mind. They pestered him with anger and shame, internally bashing him. Go ahead, try and sell that shyke! No one will buy it. Especially not from you, freak! Go find something worth while to do- like hiding in your room. That's where you belong.

To silence the insanity in his head, Calters gripped the page with both hands and carefully pulled at each side. It took longer than he wanted it to, but eventually the page began to tear. The fibers ripped apart, leaving black flakes sprinkling down on the seal fur covering his legs.

Calters had nearly finished destroying his creation when he heard a soft sound.

Alarmed, the Akvatari's wings flapped frantically and his journal dropped to the ground. His eyes darted toward the noise but not before he had retrieved his beloved journal. With his art safe, he found that there was little around him, save a young girl. She was sitting calmly, seeming as though she hadn't heard his frightened movements or seen him on the other side of the platform. Must have blended in with the birds. Calters almost grinned at the thought, but the urge to smile passed as quickly as it had come.

After nearly five chimes, the girl slumped slightly on the bench. Her breathing slowed and her arms dangled from the side. Curious, Cal took to the air. He hovered close to her bench, taking careful note of her fiery red hair and thin, tranquil face. His hands itched to draw her, but he knew he was not that talented. He would only mess it up.

With a dejected sigh, Cal threw himself on the ground facing the ocean and tried to resume his destruction. His rough hands gripped the torn paper and yanked hard, causing the two pieces to seperate with a loud rip.

[Briza]

She'd been dozing, of that much she was sure. She hadn't realised how tired she must have been to have fallen asleep on the side of a cliff. She wasn't entirely sure what had woken her. It had been a sound, but had it been imagined or had something made it? Refreshed eyes opened wide as she looked around, finally becoming conscious enough to comprehend her surroundings and the things in it. She noticed the usual birds and sighed in relief, no predators to be seen.

A further tearing sound, however, had her launching to her feet and looking for a weapon in easy reach. Her cutlass remained in her back, but she sure she'd be dead before she managed any damage to anything. It was in that moment that her gaze found a rather solid looking stick, situation right beside two beautiful wings; they did not belong to a bird. There sat a fellow, seemingly angry, ripping at paper with black, smudged patterns on it.
She wasn't sure whether to approach or not, what kind of person had wings? Even worse, she was sure she could see fur on his legs, though she couldn't be definite.

"You there," she whispered, her voice suddenly gone with the nervousness she felt. What if it was a sea monster sunning itself up here? However Briza had an open mind, and for the moment it didn't seem she was in any danger. She stared hard at the thing, though her fingers shook nervously in the pockets of her pants. It would be fascinating if it could talk!

[Calters]

"You there."

Calters paused his ripping to allow himself to think more clearly. When he turned his head just slightly, he could see the shape of a woman take up his view. It was difficult to distinguish her from any other Human though. They all look the same!

After a bit of thought, the Akvatari switched his wings and raised himself to a hover just inches off the ground. He gazed at the woman's amber eyes and slender body, evaluating the potential threat. Once he was sure that she would cause him no harm, Cal coughed lightly and then spoke heavily.

"Are you talking to me? You know, it would be polite to at least ask my name first. I'm Calters, if you petching care. Which I doubt." The young man rolled his eyes with disdain. "Am I bothering you by sitting here? Should I go be miserable somewhere else?"

Calters didn't usually introduce himself like this but his mood today didn't allow him to speak any differently. His lips were naturally set in a firm line and Cal could do nothing to change the harshness of his voice. His wings fluttered in agitation behind him, throwing Syna's rays onto the ground in a dull pattern of browns and reds.

Without thinking, he slapped his tail against the rocks and clutched the paper tighter in his closed fist. The result of the tail smack was unexpectedly vicious. A handful of rocks tumbled from where they had previously perched on the cliff. A small piece of Cal's ripped notebook paper had floated from where it rested to be taken away by the wind.

Words passed through his lips, soft enough that he thought only he heard them. "Human shyke. Always gawking at me like I'm some freak of nature. Hai, maybe I am! Maybe I'm just as unwanted here as anywhere. I should just leave. Go live in the ocean."

His self-loathing drifted off into nonsense mumbling as the time passed. Finally remembering that he was in the presence of another, the Akvatari squinted at the woman and sighed.
"So what'll it be? Are you going to chase me away? Or would you prefer to learn a bit about my unique appearance first?"

[Briza]

Briza decided he wasn't a threat and the trembling in her fingers stopped as abruptly as it had begun. She tried to prefent a smile appearing at his rather gruff introduction, but it didn't work and her crimson lips spread wide as she let out a guffaw of laughter.
"Well, Calters, I am Briza," she stated, moving a little closer to the hovering man.
She turned her head slightly to side at his next mutterings, catching the tail end of it. She sighed, the smile wiped from her face. Would it truly be possible to leave in that beast that he called the ocean? The thought was unbearable, no land? No air? Nope.
"I don't think the ocean would be very nice," she admitted, shaking her head ruefully. His wings fascinated her, though. How amazing would it be to be able to fly.

She tried to decide how to ask the next question, but it was one of her traits to not have much tact.
"Honestly, the fact you were here scared the heck out of me!" She admitted, raising her voice slightly. "However, I don't give a rats bum about your appearance, I just wish I could fly," she stated in a rush, planting her bum on the ground and running a hand through firey locks.

"You're pretty rude," she added as an after thought, allowing herself a moment of immaturity.

[Calters]

The fiery haired woman, so different from others he had talked to, didn't ask about who he was or why he was here. Briza didn't gape at his wings or tail except in passing. She was honest to the point of rudeness. Somehow, it was a positive trait on her and warmed Calters enough to make him sit down and face the woman again.

He considered her observation for a tick, then nodded thoughtfully. Even though her tone implied the bitterness of a child, she was right.

"I suppose I am a bit rude, aren't I?" Letting her think she had won was not an option however. So, in the vein of childish jabs, Calters opened his mouth again, choosing to ignore her other statements.

"Not that most people are any better. I'm just open about it. What about you? Do you hide your rudeness or embrace it?"

Calters barked out a dry laugh at his own pretentious words. He shook his head quickly.

"So Briza, what brings you up here? "

Cal gestured single-handedly at the surrounding wildlife, ending with a faint gesture at her and himself.

"Ecaping the confines of Riverfall? Out to find your muse, like me? Or were you just needing a place to nap?"
Cal finished with a wry smile, showing what he thought of her make-shift bed

[Briza]

Briza stared out into the blue waves that crashed angrily against the cliff. Their anger reminded her much of her own. Were the swells angry because they couldn't flow onto the land and stand in the soil like she could? Were they sad that they couldn't take to the air for more than scant seconds, jealous of those like the strange person in front of her?
This kind of thinking was abnormal for Briza, and she wondered where it had come from. The ocean didn't speak, did it?

She shook off the uncomfortable thoughts and turned her attention back to the creature in front of her. A stray lock of hair floated over her eye and she briskly tucked it back behind her ear. His first question wasn't that unusual, she had already called him rude herself.
"Well, if I tried to hide it, I don't think I'd be terribly good at it," she answered, her eyes sparkling with hidden laughter, causing the amber to glitter in the sunlight.
His next question was also expected, for it was probably strange to see someone sleeping on a stone bench, on the side of a cliff with the risk of a bird dropping excrement on them.

"To be honest, I just came for a walk," she admitted, looking back up the path she'd taken down to this ledge, "it just so happened I must have been tired," she gave him a wary smile at this and shuffled a little close to him.

"Could I touch your wings? They're very pretty, and I'm only ever touched eagle's wings," she asked tentevely, reaching a hand out towards him.

[Calters]

Touch my wings?

Cal had heard many strange things from those he met over the years. He had been asked how he sat, how he walked, what he was, and even if someone could pet his fur. But his wings had always been left alone for some reason...
until now.

Cal was so startled by her question that he forgot all pretense of speech and simply leaned closer to her outstretched hand. He could feel the brush of her rough hands against his wings, stronger than any gale he had ever flown through. Her fingers, which looked worn from years of work, were a strange foreground to his fragile looking wings. Although he knew it couldn't happen, he was afraid for a heartbeat that she might be able to break the durable wings he had kept all his life. So central to his being it was nearly impossible to imagine life without them.

When he looked up to see her reaction, Cal knew he had done the right thing. Her face made it all worth it. As he had seen earlier, her eyes sparkled with a promise of laughter. She was so gentle and cautious that it might be thought she was nervous too. Calters knew that this was nonsense, however. Briza radiated power and independence like he had never felt. With her so close, he felt strong too.

And then it was over. Calters leaned away and batted his wings a time or two to shake the feeling of her on him. He resisted the urge to shake his head. Rather, he coughed shallowly to rid himself of the anxiety.

"Do they feel like eagle's wings?"

[Briza]

As her fingers brushed against the beautiful appendage, she suppressed a gasp. They reminded her of glass. They appeared brittle, in a beautiful, mysterious way. On the other hand she was sure they they were as strong as steel. They were so different to Aska's wings. Where his were often coarse, these were like running ones hand over silk.
The fact he let her glide her hands over them surprised her slightly, and as she'd touched he almost seemed to hold his breath. In fact, if she didn't know better, the ocean held it's breath as well.

"Thank you," she whispered as he pulled back, her ruby lips curling into a satisfied smile. They were unique, he is unique she added to herself. Perhaps she'd found a new friend, for certainly he was not foe?

"They have similarities, like the fact you can fly," she giggled slightly, "However yours remind me of the glass wares that my people fashion from the very breath of their lungs, they appear fragile, feel silken, but are at the end of it stronger than a forged blade," her face grew slightly solemn as she gazed at him, hoping to catch his eye.

A breeze seemed to spring up from nowhere. The relatively still morning seemed to awaken as the middle of the day drew nearer. Briza suddenly felt fear. To be blown over the side would be certain death, if the razor edged stones didn't crush and cut her into mince, she'd sink beneath the waves and drown. She struggled with swimming.
Fearful eyes stared out over the ocean and they turned back to Calters.

[Calters]

Briza's words danced in his head with the grace and fearsome speed of a rushing current.

"They have similarities, like the fact you can fly. However yours remind me of the glass wares that my people fashion from the very breath of their lungs, they appear fragile, feel silken, but are at the end of it stronger than a forged blade."

The way she phrased everything made life sound elegant. Many a time he had looked at his wings and thought only of their dark red as a muddy color. He had felt their texture compared to a beggar's clothes- smooth yet worn. When she talked, it reminded Calters of singers and the way they would manipulate the words until they matched the artist's desired feel. Calters longed to write her words down, but he didn't want to take his concentration off her for fear that she would come up with something even more beautiful.

The girl had a serious expression on her face as she gazed out to sea. Cal could only assume that she was lost in thought and far away from him. He too turned to the sea and watched it for a moment, admiring the way the waves smoothed out the soft sand and brushed the aquatic flora out of place only to push it back. Just as he was beginning to ponder how the ocean could represent life, a sudden gust escorted both of the daydreamers back to reality.

The tick she was aware, Briza looked at Calters with blatant fear in her eyes. Although unsure of what exactly she was afraid of, he felt a need to reassure the near-stranger.

"Hey, it's okay. It's safe here." The boy was crushingly aware of his inadequate language after hers, but anything better eluded him. "What's up here to worry about? Just a few bird droppings maybe." Cal tried to smile, but it was so fake that he knew it must have looked painful.