Closed Nature is a Fickle Beast

[Bakar]

I promise I'm not that scary..

Summer, 67, 515

Green, yellow, red. Colours that Bakar had not seen naturally for a long time. Sure, she'd seen them dyed onto fabrics and the like, but she's spent so long in the inner depths of this fortress that she's beginning to forget that trees even exist in other forms other than her desk. Looking around her room, she spied her flute. It had been a while. Her mind raced back to when she had first bought it. She was so happy then. She scoffed. "Naive is more like it.." She said to herself. Regardless, she took the flute and the music sheets and left her room.

She made her way to the gates. The guards uttered a warning. The Woods were no place for untrained citizens. Now, it's not like she ignored them, but it would do well for her, she thought, to spend some time with actual colours. She stepped through the gates, and left Syliras for the first time in 50 years.

Not much had changed. There was still a road. And trees. That's all there really was to see at this point. She nervously looked back at the road, before taking her first step into the woods. She made note to mark a path back, with rocks and any other thing she could find, should she get lost. Granted, if she kept walking one way, it's a little hard to get lost, isn't it? Just turn around and go back the way you came. Out of precaution though, she left a trail.

She walked for what must have been hours. Her mind mulling her situation. She was tired of everything. She hated herself and her being. She didn't know what to do anymore. Her life had simply become the same thing. Work, mull over her life, work. She didn't even have the relief of sleep to interrupt her meager routine. "Today is already different.." She said to herself. "Today will be okay. I'm enjoying myself. See? I'm okay." She was trying to convince herself. It wasn't working.

She sighed and say down on a particularly large rock. Laying the flute case beside her, she stared at it for a while, contemplating if she even had the will to do something with it. She had brought it. She might as well do something with it.

She laid the sheets out in front of her and placed small rocks on the corners to prevent them from blowing away. She wasn't very good at this, but she was alone, so she might as well practice. She took up her flute, and prepared to play.

She had learned that when she first played for an extended period of time that without lungs she couldn't sustain notes for too long. This was false. That was just her mind, making her believe that she couldn't. There may not be lungs, but she was able to push air as well as any living being. She didn't though. She liked the thought of using her Reimancy to play. She felt it gave an interesting twist to her music, if it could be called that at this point.

She relaxed herself and slowly gathered her Djed, willing the gaseous Res from her mouth, she attracted a slight amount of air from around her, so as not to tire herself out as quickly as using her Res for all the playing. Her eyes twitched, and slight pressure formed at the back of her mind. She ignored this and focused on her sheets. A scale of basic notes, not too high, not too low. She sent this air gently across the mouthpiece, before transmuting a small amount of Res at a time, so she can sustain the air longer.

The notes were sharp still, her finger not blocking the full hole on the flute. But as her Djed was used her finger twitched, and the rest was blocked. It sounded much better, but still not the best. Realizing this, she twisted the flute ever so slighting in her hands, and covered the rest of the holes better. All notes came through clearer and stronger. She was only able to do the scale once, however, before she nearly dropped the flute. A combination of her weakened body and slight Overgiving was taking it's toll on her. She rubbed her temples softly willing her headache to go. Her head simply throbbed in response. She carefully placed the flute back into the case before sliding down the rock, and sitting on the grass, using the rock as a back rest.

She relaxed here for a moment, and closed her eyes. Taking in the sound of the woods. For now, she was alone, and her mind was clear.

[Beodan Clathony]

Beodan’s large eyelids lifted slowly to reveal chocolate brown eyes. Blinking away the sleep from his short nap, he unlocked his knees and picked up his head to look at the sky. It had only been about 30 chimes since he had decided to rest in the light trickling through the forest canopy. It was hot, but less so under the trees, and for that he was thankful. Hot enough to warrant lazing around. He was only a short walk away from his tent, stopped in front of a familiar, well maintained patch of sweet grass. It was once again nibbled down to the base, ready to grow again.

The Horse Kelvic began to walk along a thin path, born of his regular walks through the forest. It was hardly a path, more a thinning of brush than anything else. Hooves flattened greenery with soft crunches, cleaving the new growth apart and leaving shallow indentations in the packed dirt. It was so peaceful. No noisy city. Just insects humming and songbirds singing out to one another. His eyes scanned the trail’s edges for any useful plants that he could bring closer to his home, or at least mark in his mind. Say, that was an idea, he could make a map! Only he did not know how to do so, maybe he could ask someone. His face fell as his idea was dismissed as a long term goal.

He saw a handful of plants he could utilize on the side of the trail and would retrieve them on a return trip with his tools. A foreign scent invaded his nostrils, and Dan slowed to a stop. Not the scent of a predator, nor any animal he knew of. A little like meat, but not quite as gamey. Human, he decided. But who would be in this part of the woods? There was nothing over here but plants. No houses or taverns that he knew of. Curious, he followed the trail into the woods. It ran perpendicular to his path, weaving through the brush and trees with a constant heading.

Beodan started to notice a few odd things. A twig standing straight up in the ground. A small divot where a rock had recently rested. Even the end of the branch snapped and left hanging. Whatever this thing was, it sure did not mind being found. Or maybe did not think it was going to be followed at all. The scent was getting steadily stronger, but was still faint. After a while, the slow progress was starting to annoy him, so he increased his speed to a trot. Now making good time, the scent grew noticeably stronger. After many chimes, he glimpsed the source about a stone’s throw away, sitting on a large rock in the sun.

Anxiety crept up on him. Why had he followed this person, a girl as he could see now, despite not knowing anything about her? Damned curiosity. Though she did not look very dangerous from this distance, actually sort of frail. Able to be blown away if there was a strong gust of wind. He was startled from his attempt at assessing her when she produced a few quavering notes on a flute. He let out an involuntary snort of surprise. She probably heard that, he thought, hearing his own beastly heart hammer in his chest. He hoped that her effort to play had masked the sound.

Beodan walked closer to her, until he was only yards away. She had her eyes closed for some reason, maybe napping as he had a while ago. He neighed softly (at least, as softly as he was able), “Hello! I see you, are you friendly?”

[Bakar]

I promise I'm not that scary..

She let the peaceful sounds of the forest wash over her. She smiled to herself, by herself, for the first time in a while. Her mind wasn't on her condition. She wasn't angry at herself. She was just relaxed. Those thoughts would eventually return, but she tried her best not to focus on that right now. Things were quiet, she was alone, and there was nothing else to worry about right now.

She was peaceful for a short while, before there was a neigh coming from beside her. She panicked and immediately fumbled trying to stand, and fell on her back, crawling backwards quickly. "They told you it was dangerous, why didn't you listen?" She scolded herself aloud. When the initial second long panic subsided, she realized she was staring at a horse. A large animal, but that was about all she knew about it. She couldn't discern if it's actions were friendly, aggressive or even just inquisitive.

"H-hello there big guy.. girl.. whichever you are.." She talked softly, trying to calm in, so it didn't charge at her and bite her. If horses even did that. "I-I don't want any trouble.. I'm just going to pick up my things and go, o-okay?" Her mind was racing. She didn't expect the horse to understand what she was saying, but she hoped that the soft voice would keep it at bay. Are horses even wild? Could they even survive out here? It's not an animal that Bakar thought of when deadly animals came to mind. But it was here now, and this place is dangerous.

She slowly stepped forward, and reached for her flute, eyes locked on the beast. She felt around for the case and feeling the handle pulled it quickly to her. Too quickly, as the case flung open and the flute slowly tumbled out and onto the ground. Bakar cursed to herself before quickly apologizing to the horse.

"S-sorry, sorry, I don't mean to be loud. I just want to get my things and go. I'll be gone. I won't be long." She reached around felt the flute and, slowly this time, pulled it towards herself. She fumbled it back into the case and secured it tightly this time. Eyes still on the beast she bowed to it and hastily said another apology, before taking her eyes off it for the first time, searching for the path she had made.

At this point she had another panic. The only area she noticed where there were broken branches and a makeshift trail.. was behind the horse. She dared not go deeper into the woods, and risk getting lost, or turning her back on the animal, but she couldn't bring herself to walk past the horse. Maybe she could get around and find her way back to the trail? No.. She didn't trust herself to be able to find it. She decided to wait for the animal to hopefully move on, and if it came to her, she would run. She wouldn't be able to outrun it, but if she made it to the path, it gave her the best chance of making it back to the city.

[Aiyana Ottano]

The trees rustled around Aiyana as she sat, legs stretched out, perched atop a tree trunk. The sun was beating down upon her face and she closed her eyes, leaning into it. Her hair glittered in the light and her expression, which was usually sombre, was brighter than it had been in months. Aiyana always felt a little better when surrounded by nature. It was difficult to think of Vikar when the leaves were dancing around her and the melodies of birds were drifting through the air.

Indeed, one such melody was playing now, chiming through the forest, but it didn't sound like any bird Aiyana knew of. No, she would recognise that sound anywhere. Somewhere, someone was playing the flute. Whoever it was was far from experienced. The notes came stilted and hesitant, but they were pretty all the same. Aiyana's eyes went to her own flute, in its case at her side. She took it everywhere, even though she seldom played it anymore.

Unable to help herself, Aiyana rose to her feet and legs carried her, drawn to the gentle rise and fall of notes spilling from the Flutist's instrument. She ducked beneath the branches and bark and leaves crunched beneath her bare feet, but she hardly noticed.

Finally, she came upon a small clearing. The playing had stopped now, and a small, pale woman with light brown hair was startling to her feet, staring aghast at a chesnut brown horse who was staring at her curiously. The horse gave a whinny and the woman's eyes darted about her, as if searching for a way to escape.

Aiyana recognised the horse for what it was instantly. No mere animal stood that calmly or had that look of curiosity and welcome in its eyes. The horse was a Kelvic. Most Kelvic could instinctively recognise each other and Aiyana was no exception.

Usually, Aiyana avoided talking if she could, but she longed to hear more from the Flutist and it was rare she met one of her own kind in Syliras. She crept forwards, emerging silently from behind a tree and edging into the clearing. She drew back the hood of her cloak and her hair tumbled down her shoulders.

"Please, don't be afraid." She murmured. "There is nothing here that will hurt you. They are a Kelvic."

[Beodan Clathony]

The girl panicked at his arrival, fumbling around and shuffling away from him a little. That was odd, had she never seen a horse before? Or maybe she was just scared of horses. In either case, Beodan was upset and apologetic that he had caused her some distress. She was talking fast, her tone soft so that he could barely hear her. His head cocked, he perked up his ears to attempt to hear her better. Something about trouble and wanting to leave? He sniffed once, she had the wrong idea! He did not mean any ill will, and definitely did not want her to leave her nice resting spot on his account. Not wanting to startle her, he kept still and kept a huge eye of chocolate locked with hers.

The Strange One pulled a case to her, and the flute she had been playing tumbled out to the forest floor. The girl swore and flung apologies his way. She fiddled with the case for a few moments more, and then appeared to look for something behind him. He craned his neck to look where she was looking. Was there something behind him? His eyes flicked from tree to tree, but did not see anything besides a few birds and lovely greenery. He turned back to the girl. Was she lost? He did not think so, what with all the commotion she had caused on her makeshift path. A blind man could follow that! It was his fault for scaring her, else she could have spent the afternoon in peace. Curse his curiosity!

Deciding to take a passive stance, The Horse Kelvic lowered himself onto his stomach, his legs folded so that he was hunkered against the ground. He brought his head to the ground, and looked up at her with sad eyes, his ears loosely hanging at his side. He almost looked like an overgrown dog, waiting for his master to return. He hoped that his submissive position would make her more comfortable.

Seconds later, Beodan heard the crunching of leaves to his right at the edge of the clearing. His brown ears stood at attention. It was another girl, with a little more color than the Strange One, judging by her long hair and feminine features. She wore a robe, common attire for this neck of the woods, and had slightly ovular pupils. He bet they would be slits in direct sunlight. A Kelvic or some other manner of creature. She did not wear shoes, but if she was a Kelvic, why was she wearing anything at all? She would know how restricting and claustrophobic the clothing was. It puzzled him. She spoke, “Please, don't be afraid. There is nothing here that will hurt you. They are a Kelvic." Uh oh. So this feline probably was not a housecat, if she knew he was a Kelvic that fast, without any outward signs discerning him from a normal horse. He needed a voice.

Dan shifted with will and a flash of light, a man with messy brown hair laying on his belly. He got to his feet with a huff, leaf bits and spots of dirt clinging to him. He brushed them off with his hands and then addressed the two women, “No need to be alarmed, Strange One, it is a she says. I followed your music, I am sorry for interrupting.”

[Bakar]

I promise I'm not that scary..

The horse did something that Bakar had not expected. It had simply layed down, and stared. Had she more experience with horses, she may have been able to read it's expression, but as it were, the constant eye contact was intimidating. The only thing she knew about horses were they were big, and the Knights used them. The fact that it was laying now, did make her more comfortable. "I.. I guess you're not going to attack then..." She said quietly.

Just as she finished, it's ears perked up, and she heard a crunch beside her, followed by a voice. She barely registered what it was saying, her mind in a panic. This was one of the few times she was glad for the lack of organs. If she had a heart, it'd be beating so loud she wouldn't be able to think. With lungs, she's certain they would stop their function and cause her to faint from lack of oxygen. She stood stiff, fearing for her life. A bandit? A hunter? Just a passerby? She wasn't taking any chances.

"Pl-please, I have nothing on me just a simple flute. I-it's not worth much, but please don't take it from me!" She pleaded with the figure she had even yet to look at.

Just then Bakar realized what she had said. Nothing that will hurt her? She wasn't sure if she could believe that or not, but felt a little better. A Kelvic? She hadn't met a Kelvic before. Bakar slowly craned her head to the side, to get a glimpse of the feminine voice beside her.

It was a short women, even shorter than herself. There was something about her eyes, but Bakar couldn't place her finger on it. She wore a cloak, with the hood pulled down. With light blonde hair, tinged slightly orange-y, she looked on with blue eyes. Her skin was pale.. Almost as much as Bakar's own.

A flash of light from the horse tore Bakar's attention away from the women. She quickly looked back, to see a man now laying where the horse was. She scanned the area, scared, looking for where the horse had gone. The man was getting up now, and wiping dirt off of himself. He was naked, but that's not what Bakar really cared about. This man shared the same hair and eye colour as the horse who's spot he now occupied. He spoke, and it made things both clearer, and more confusing at the same time.

This man was the horse, his words made that clear. But how did he do that? Some kind of magic? Was she being deceived? The sight of the man naked had given her some relief. It was clear he was not armed, and had no means on him to defend himself. But now, if he really was a magic user, she couldn't let her guard down.

She backed away from both parties, until she could see them both at the same time. They were now positioned in a triangle, and Bakar's eyes fluttered back and forth between them, confusion evident on her face.

"I-I don't understand. What's going on here? Who are you? Both of you?" She hugged her flute to her chest, ready to make a dash to the path. The man now a man and not a horse, she felt a little better about running. He would likely still outrun her, but it's better than racing a horse..

[Aiyana Ottano]

Aiyana watched as the woman cradled her flute against her chest as though it were a baby. Once again, her eyes were scanning the area for an exit. Aiyana took a step back and held her hands up in a gesture of surrender, giving the woman some space; she knew all too well what it was like to feel trapped, and it wasn't a feeling she wanted anyone else to experience. The horse Kelvic, meanwhile, had transformed into his human form and stood naked before her, causing the woman's eyes to widen further. He repeated the same words of comfort spoken by Aiyana

"We won't hurt you." She repeated. "I- I only heard you playing."

Aiyana, much like this woman, was timid and startled easily herself. For the most part, she hated talking to people and she was beginning to wish she hadn't bothered the frightened figure before her now. She gave a small smile and dipped her head, eyes cast down to the ground.

"I like music." She explained softly.

And before she could stop herself, her legs were carrying her forward and she was opening her own beloved music case and showing the flute she carried with her. She seldom shared her instrument with anyone, let alone a stranger, but she felt as though she could have found a kindred spirit in the fey, young woman.

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to hear you play," She whispered. "My name is Aiyana." She glanced at the other Kelvic, who was still brushing away bits of leaves and twigs that were clinging rebelliously to his skin.

She took another step towards the woman and smiled again. "Kelvic can switch between their animal and human forms, but we don't lose our humanity. Even as a lynx, I will not attack you. You are safe, I promise."

She glanced at the horse Kelvic, hoping he would reaffirm her words and have sense enough to frighten the woman any more than she already was.

[Beodan Clathony]

Beodan watched the two warily as the poor girl begged with the other Kelvic. She was quick to jump to conclusions, and seemed to be scared of everything that moved. Had she never been into the woods before or something, every tree shadow making her jump? Rediculous! Now she backed away from both of them, almost to the other break in the clearing. What could they do to calm her down. He was naked, so he did not see how he could be perceived as a threat. Was it the feline’s cloak as well as the general unfamiliarity with the Kelvic race? His thoughts were partially confirmed when the pale girl asked, "I-I don't understand. What's going on here? Who are you? Both of you?” Her eyes were dancing between the two Kelvics, just as his own eyes did, though he was a lot less nervous about it.

Dan’s counterpart spoke first, attempting to assure her that they were harmless. He nodded at the Strange One, locking eyes with her. The Kelvic pulled out her own music case from somewhere in the fabric, opening it to show a flute that would be almost identical to the other, had they been new. “My name is Aiyana.” He cocked his head, trying match the name with the face in his mind. “Ayiana,” he practiced under his breath. It fit, though whether he would remember it was a different story. “Kelvic can switch between their animal and human forms, but we don't lose our humanity. Even as a lynx, I will not attack you. You are safe, I promise,” Ayiana soothed. He thought it wise not to point out that Kelvics don’t loose their animalistic nature either, it certainly sounded better the way she had put it. As demonstration, he shifted four times, lingering between each for only a moment to let the girl process the new form he had adopted, light flashing each time he did so.

“See?” Beodan started, “It’s not magic or anything. Come to think of it, I’m not sure what does it myself! But both forms are me, and I am both forms. Neither are more or less me than the other. They both just are.” It was not the best introduction to Kelvics, but he thought they had covered all the important parts between the two of them. A Lynx was she? That made sense to him. He wondered what she would look like. Maybe he would find out if she ever took her cloak. Maybe the lynx was small enough for her to shift with clothes on? That would be handy, a horse was too big for that. He hoped that the girl was finally at ease with them.

[Bakar]

I promise I'm not that scary..

Both parties were trying to convince her they meant no harm. Still cautious, however she backed up slightly when the female approached, but with her back to the trees, she couldn't go very far. Bakar slumped against the tree, suddenly reminded of how weak she was. The woman stuttered, also apparently nervous. This made Bakar less nervous herself. She revealed a case, more elaborate, but similar in style to her. She opened it to reveal a flute. Older than Bakar's and made of metal, but clearly maintained.

The women was keeping her eyes on the ground and speaking softly, likely to keep Bakar calm and appear non-threatening. And it was working. She was relaxing slowly and wasn't trying to run away.

"Aiyana... I.. I am Bakar. It.. It's nice to meet you.. B-both of you" Bakar spoke quietly, addressing Aiyana more than the almost forgetting he was there. Calmed, but still nervous about the situation she was thrust into. She explained that she and the man were Kelvic. A race that was half human, half animal? They could switch at will, but didn't lose their senses.

As if on queue, a flash of light came from the man, who was now a horse. Then a man. Then a horse. Then finally a man again. Her eyes were fixated on him, as she backed stepped back into the tree again, but the man said it was not magic. It was just the way it was for them. Still shifting her eyes between them, she felt it coming this time. Quickly but carefully she placed her flute and case on the ground beside her. A second later he legs gave out, and she was on her hands and knees.

"Wh-what I do is not really music. It's more.. sound from an instrument. Music is full, and beautiful. What I do is just noise." She spoke to the ground now, not really wanting to look at the two creatures she's met anymore. She shook her head and looked up at them. "S-sorry to disappoint.. but I can't play anymore today. I-I'm weak and don't have the strength..." She saw no harm in telling this now, it was evident to any who saw her.

She tried to stand, but had no strength in her arms. Using magic while already weakened was a bad idea, especially in an area where it was so dangerous to be caught incapacitated.

She ran her hands over over the dirt, feeling it between her fingers. She slowly lay down and rested her head on the ground, all desire to run leaving her body. She didn't have the strength to be afraid now. She was either going to be safe or dead. She felt the earth with her entire body as she hadn't done since her life before, when she was a child, laying on the ground and playing in the dirt. Remembering that her actions will likely be considered strange, she spoke to the two around her quietly.

"I am alright, I just need time.. to rest my limbs.. do not worry.. S-sorry to lure you here.. What were you here in the woods for anyways?"

[Beodan Clathony]

"S-sorry to disappoint.. but I can't play anymore today. I-I'm weak and don't have the strength..." the strange girl, Bakar, said in a frail voice. Beodan’s brow furrowed in concern, she did not look well. She seemed to be attempting to rise, but ended up just laying down and playing with the dirt. He stepped forwards to help her, wondering why she was suddenly afflicted with something. Had the fear of them taxed her body too much? She was looking a bit pale, maybe she needed some food, or something to drink. Yet if she was starving, why would she be alone in the woods playing the flute? She certainly was an odd one, if only because of the abnormal circumstances.

He was a few steps away from her, his toes wiggling in the clearing’s grass, when she nearly whispered, "I am alright, I just need time.. to rest my limbs.. do not worry.. S-sorry to lure you here.. What were you here in the woods for anyways?" Dan nodded, so she was just tired, maybe having run from something in the woods. She seemed to scare easily. That would explain the muscle fatigue and maybe the pale skin. He heard a rustling behind him and whipped his head around. They were alone in the clearing. He raised an eyebrow. Where had the other Kelvic run off to? He sighed, chasing her was pointless. This girl could barely keep her head up, he would stay with her.

“Hmm? Oh! I live here!” the Kelvic answered, remembering that a question had been posed before the interruption, “Well, not here here, but in the woods a ways away. I wander around the forest almost every day. It is rare that I meet a humanoid, let alone two at the same time.” He squatted next to her, her head resting just a step away from his bare feet. “Are you sure you are okay? I’m an herbalist, I can help if you need anything,” he offered, sliding a hand onto her forehead under her hair. He held it for a second, then pulled his hand back as if stung, his eyes wide. “You.. You need help, fast,” he breathed, a hand checking her pulse. That could not be right. He checked again... Nothing... He began to panic, how had she died so quickly? She was still awake though, and giving him looks! “How are you alive?! You’re cold as ice and your heart isn’t beating,” he asked incredulously, thoroughly confused.

It became obvious that she was not a normal human, alone in the woods. So Dan wiped anything he knew about healing humans from his mind and humbled himself, “Ah, do you.. need anything? My tent is not far away, you can rest there, and I have plenty of food. I can carry you, if you cannot stand.”