"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
05-26-2020, 04:25 PM (This post was last modified: 05-26-2020, 06:55 PM by Cassi.
Edit Reason: closing tags
)
Even as a babe Aoibhe never stayed still for long. She’d run her mother ragged, her sense of independence blossoming at an early age, with her constant desire to be doing something. It was why she was now alone, in the Field, without a single soul she knew. Aoibhe had proven herself too bothersome for herd life outside of Beqanna, too full of wanderlust, too full of curiosity. If she were honest with herself the sting of rejection weighed heavy in her belly, a truth she staunchly ignored.
She was as of yet, a girl donning woman’s clothes ignorant of what life actually was. She wore her naivete like a festive hat, her immaturity apparent for all to see. Another reason she was alone. She had not yet settled down to the business of bearing children, a burden in which she had little interest. Her youth excited her, spurred her to explore, and guided her here…to the fields of Beqanna.
Her painted body glided through the long grasses following a small creature that had captured her interest. Nose to the ground, she paid little attention to her surroundings, caring only for the bounding chipmunk that scittered just beyond her breath. She picked up speed in time with the rodent, careful not to tread over it as it lead her weaving across the gentle knoll they played upon. She let out a soft laugh, as the plucky creature turned round to gently nip at her nose, and blew a warm breath at it, ruffling the soft brown fur before giving chase again.
As she trailed her companion, head never rising above the tall grass, the noises about her turned from chirping birds to the soft chatter of other horses in conversation. Unbothered, Aoibhe continued her game trotting with careful hooves behind her small companion until the chipmunk suddenly darted to the left. Surprised she fumbled and her body collided with another sending her clumsily onto her rump. Like a dog, she sat, head shooting up to see who her obstacle had been and issuing a rushed but genuine ”Ooof! I’m so sorry! Are you alright?”
05-26-2020, 05:21 PM (This post was last modified: 05-26-2020, 05:21 PM by Halcyon.)
halcyon
a tight-pressed line keeping a wildfire on the inside
Despite his familiarity with Beqanna, Halcyon has still grown increasingly nervous the further he has traveled from Ischia. The tiger-shifter had certainly never touted his wanderlust, or lack thereof, but a promise had been made to contribute to his island home now that he is old enough to do so, and he knows well enough that the Field is the superlative place to begin.
He has traveled eastward in his tiger form, his massive feline paws moving swiftly but silently across the terrain. By the time he has arrived in the Field, greeted by long verdant grasses and blooming springtime blossoms, the young man is equal parts fatigued and nervous. He stands, squared, with his claws digging into the soft loam beneath him as his green feline eyes survey the expanse before him.
Certainly, he should shift from feline to equine to keep from startling his quarry, but he balks ─ he is not comfortable wearing his dun and blue coat, or his blunted prey's teeth, outside of Ischia. Or without Aquaria beside him. His tri-colored feline frame is his home in many ways.
Halcyon is in luck, though (or misfortune), as the internal war is pushed from his mind. He's suddenly bumped by the painted body of a woman about his age (namely, just young enough to not seem too adult-ish just yet) and he stumbles to correct his posture, his lengthy feline tail flicking in brief agitation. Halcyon turns his slit-pupil eyes towards the woman as she issues her apology and he smiles pleasantly in response ─ and then dampens it, when he remembers that his whetted predator's teeth are exposed.
“I am. Are you?” he asks politely before his eyes wander over her shoulder briefly. His gaze returns to her blue eyes. “Were you being chased?” The question comes out braver than he feels ─ and he secretly hopes that she had not been giving chase, though there is comfort in the fact that a pursuer may change their mind in the face of a dangerous cat.
05-26-2020, 07:37 PM (This post was last modified: 05-27-2020, 09:54 AM by Aoibhe.)
and if I never wandered, where would I be?
As her apology leaves her lips, her pale eyes flash open, locking onto those of a predator. The dirt churns beneath her as she rights herself hurriedly. The instinct to flee causes a quiver to ripple through her though she ignores it as the big cat smiles at her, she ignores it and offers a tentative smile back. She would be a liar if she said she wasn’t afraid.
Forcing herself to still she offers him a more genuine smile as he assures her of his wellbeing. She is relieved, and with that relief comes curiosity. She observes him quietly, noting the way his gaze lingers along the curve of her shoulder, where the white and red clash vibrantly. ”Other than being embarrassed, I’m fine.”She answers with a grin. She knows how aloof she can be, and makes no effort to hide it.
He asks if she had been chased, to which she turns her head over her shoulder. Admittedly she wouldn’t have known if she had been. She finds his gaze ”Not that I know of. I was playing with a chipmunk.” she offers before glancing around. ”He darted off when we came upon you, although I can’t say I blame him.” she offers honestly without malice. ” I’m Aoibhe, by the way.” she offers a grin painting her open features.
a tight-pressed line keeping a wildfire on the inside
Halcyon can't fault the woman for her startled expression or the way she tries to frantically put space between them. He has the fortune of seeing the world from two different sets of eyes; his equine self would most certainly respond in the same way she had in the face of a predator ─ wide eyes, scrambling limbs, a pounding heart. But to live it is a whole different thing. To see that fleeting fear is... empowering, almost, but saddening to the young man who'd never thought to cause harm to any equine compatriot.
He uses his happiness induction to replace the fleeting melancholy with more cheer ─ and should she be feeling particularly receptive to her surroundings, the tendrils of his magic may just reach the painted mare, as well.
“There's no need to be embarrassed,” he tells her with easy laughter before sitting his muscled hinds upon the soft loam. His tail flicks behind him, more out of muscle memory than anything else, as his verdant eyes alight with amusement. “Well, next time you see him, let him know I'm very offended that he didn't want to be my friend.”
Her grin lights up her two-toned face and even if he'd wanted to refrain, Halcyon can't stop himself from returning the expression with lips pulled away from those sharp teeth of his. Sheepish, albeit briefly, his feline eyes look to the earth before reconnecting with her blue ones. “It's so nice to meet you, Aoibhe. My name is Halcyon. Have you just arrived?”
His question is casual, but leading. His inexperience at recruiting causes him to balk, unsure of whether he should just come out and invite Aoibhe to Ischia, or if that would seem too bold. While he ponders the merits of asking outright, he awaits her response to his inquiry.
She doesn’t miss the way his expression shifts, the involuntary dilation of feline pupils that like what they see, in this case her unease. Nor does she miss how quickly the expression shifts back, the tension around his eyes that lingers there. Guilt, perhaps? She isn’t sure. She finds herself quieting more quickly than she’d anticipated, a soft glow of contentment chasing away the stubborn tendrils of unease. Her muscles cease their trembling, her eyes brighten and she finds herself smiling at him, a bit bemused by the unexpected, but not unwelcome feeling of warmth. She exhales a contented sigh, and closes her eyes for a moment.
She laughs along with him as he dismisses her embarrassment, and she finds herself taking a soft step forward, outstretching her neck and pink nose toward him ears pricking forward. ”I’m glad you feel that way, not everyone does.” she offers, sobering a bit. They talk of her chipmunk friend, and she giggles the noise reverberating softly through the Field. ”Something tells me he’s long gone by now. But I’ll keep you in mind if I come across him in the future.” she trills, no longer uneasy with the smile he offers her. She feels no malice from him, and the way his eyes crease in the corners tells her his smile is real.
His gaze drops to the ground, and her giddiness evaporates. She wonders if she’s made a misstep. Soon though he finds her gaze again and offers his pleasantries in exchange for her own, trading her name for his. ”Halycon…what an unusual name” she offers him in playful banter before adding ”I like it though.” she adds tilting her head, still tasting the name on her tongue. He asks if she’s just arrived and she steels herself against the unwelcome wave of hurt that washes over her belly, though she cannot hide the way her face falls, the shutters coming down over her eyes. ”I have.” she offers, eager to steer the conversation away from the circumstances that brought her here. ”What about you?” she presses gently.
a tight-pressed line keeping a wildfire on the inside
Halcyon doesn't intend for his emotional influence to reach Aoibhe ─ but he is glad that it does. The suspicion melts away from her face, leaving only warm eyes and the sincerity of her smile. The moment strikes Halcyon as quite beautiful, and his breath is taken away from him. By the time the crimson-and-ivory mare responds to his words, the tiger-shifter has no problem falling into the easy way she laughs.
Despite this effect, this sudden grasp he has fund himself caught in, the young man doesn't have an easy time of projecting his emotions for all to see. It reminds him of the blind, sky-painted woman he'd met when he'd just turned old enough to wander away from home on his own; he had felt the same rapid staccato in his chest the day he'd met Jenger and it has manifested itself awkwardly. He is destined to repeat it forever, apparently, and soon finds himself at a loss for words.
Halcyon is able only to offer laughter as she continues the jest about their chipmunk friend ─ and then promptly feels lucky when she continues the conversation of her own accord. He does not miss the way her face drops, though it lasts only for a moment, before she turns his question back on him.
The tiger hesitates just long enough to think about mentioning what he had seen, but whether because he doesn't want to intrude or can't work up the nerve to do it, he lets the juncture lapse.
“I was born here, actually,” he tells her happily before pointing his striped chin to the distant west. “In a place called Ischia.” Regardless of his newfound interest in the woman before him, Halcyon finds it easy to talk about Ischia. It's a place he is proud of and has always loved. “Do you like islands, Aoibhe?” he inquires, genuinely curious of her answer, but also finding an opening to invite her to see it. The tiger waits expectantly for her response, his interest evident in the tilt of his head and the eagerness of his feline ears.
