"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
CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT & SATISFACTION BROUGHT HIM BACK
He is slowly familiarizing himself with the crimson and gold forests of Sylva, with its dark shadows and immense boulders that dot the landscape haphazardly. It's different here than in Tephra ─ cooler, less humid, and it lacks the familiar scent of sulfur. It has its own appeal though, what with the crisp scent of leaves frozen between life and death, and (what he hopes) will be protection from snowfall in the winter beneath the entangled, dense canopy. On occasion his heart aches for the volcanic island and the safety he had always known it to offer, but it's easy to quell the melancholy when Ellyse is nearby.
She is his true home, after all.
The sun's rays are more intense than usual today and the black beast has taken to the deeper shadows where the branches intertwine like gnarled arms. Dahmer is unsure what he seeks here in the depths of Sylva ─ perhaps a cave, a hidden water basin, a mythical creature of the forest ─ but thus far, his search has been fruitless. He sighs gently, quietly, and raises his dark head so that glacial blue eyes can search through the red and orange leaves overhead.
He shifts quickly, ebony coat making way for glinting, iridescent feathers as his frame transforms from equine to avian. Dahmer spreads his wings and leaps from the dark forest floor, landing on a few of the lower hanging branches so that they sway beneath the weight of him. His beady blue eyes watch the undergrowth contentedly and, while times seems to pass slowly, the new General of the golden forest never grows bored.
He's surprised when the sound of hooves, accented by the crack of tiny branches, breaks the silence of the denser forest and when the equine appears between the trees below him, Dahmer cocks his raven head to the side and adjusts his weight to move to a lower branch.
"I had not expected to see anyone else here," he muses quietly, by way of greeting.
12-26-2017, 09:03 PM (This post was last modified: 12-26-2017, 09:05 PM by Klaudius.)
His new found home of Ischia made him think about the autumnal forests he had been born into. His preference had always been the open skies, very much unlike the Sylvian woodland. He had left, soon after his sister had been born. There wasn't a reason for him to stick around really. Stillwater had nearly vanished so he had held no ties to stay. Perhaps he should have for the sake of his family but he was young at the time. The world his oyster.
So under the cover of the night sky he travels south. There was a noteable chill in the air as he crossed the ocean barrier between the island and the mainland. Seasons were changing quickly and he had near immediate regret for leaving the Oasis of tropical climate. Lavender feathers rustle against the passing of the cool breeze under his wings. Each rise and fall of the wide expanse bringing him closer to his destination.
The morning light was just breaking the horizon as he had caught sight of the red and gold forest. It has remained unchanged for all these years. He almost smiles genuinely at the familiarity as memories trace his childhood. Lowering himself to the open grasses of the border before slipping into the thick canopy. Each lavender hoof carefully placed. His wings tight to his sides as to not snag his preened feathers amongst the reaching branches surrounding him. His ears flicker to each sound of forest creatures scuttling about. Silver eyes scanning the shadows for any figures larger than a rabbit. Maybe one of his past...
And then it is there. It's black head bending this way and that as it hops from branch to branch. He remembers how it had followed him everywhere as a young colt. Showing him the way of flight by example. He watches it for a moment as a hoof missteps in his distraction. Sending a crack of twig echoing throughout the dense forest. His attention averts to the placement of his hoof, with an arching neck and flare of nostrils.
"I had not expected to see anyone else here."
Movements stop as just his eyes raise to find beady eyes looking straight at him. Now uplifting his head to better view the Raven. "You can talk?!" An upward pitch in his voice making his confusion known. Never once had the Raven spoke to him before. He always assumed it was just some bird. His lavender ears swivel forwards to hear if indeed it would speak again...
Klaudius
I was just born this amazing
@[Dahmer] so Karaugh had a raven that saved her from Pangea and when Klaudius was born it followed him everywhere. So he thinks that Dahmer is the Raven from his childhood XD
CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT & SATISFACTION BROUGHT HIM BACK
The dark navy of a very early morning barely shines through the golden canopy, but it's still easy to see the glint of purple in the intruder's coat and in the feathers of his wings. Dahmer is curious, avian head still tilted to the side as the lavender stallion comes to a halt beneath him, incredulous that the raven had spoken to him. Dahmer's pupils narrow in their blue pools as he adjusts his hold on the branch beneath him, making it waver again in the early dawn.
"Yes, I suppose I can," the king of Sylva offers in return, his voice a mixture of amusement and confusion. Beqanna is full of shifters ─ foxes, bears, birds, wolves, wildcats ─ but perhaps this purple thing has yet to venture across any of them?
Dahmer drops from the branch then, his dark feathered body morphing as he hits the pine-needled earth and growing rapidly into his equine form. His obsidian frame blends into the morning shadows, but his hard blue eyes are bright as they watch the winged lavender stallion. "My name is Dahmer," he offers flatly to his newest acquaintance, nostrils fluttering in an attempt to place the stranger's scent. He smells of brine, but there is no hint of sulfur, nor had the black beast come across the other during his time in Tephra. "Is there something that I could help you with?"
He is straight to the point, though not unkind. Many of Sylva's previous residents had left when he and Ellyse had taken the throne, perhaps to follow Gryffen or to start a new path, and Dahmer has let it fester in the back of his mind as of late that he will need to gather an army sooner rather than later.
Silver-hazel eyes remained on the black bird as it moves about the tree tops. It speaks again and his lavender cords whip across his flank. He had yet to meet any creature shifters, or any that had revealed themselves as one. So when the raven dives from the trees and morphs into a black equine he is a bit taken aback.
Nostrils flare to emit a cautious rumble in his chest. Wings readied for a possible fight, as fleeing would do him no good by air here. The dense canopy enclosing him in a bird cage of sorts. It's a vulnerability he did not care for nor took lightly. He feels the earth quake under him as every instinct tells him to take hold of his powers. He resists, for now...
Lavender ears twist within a tangle of matching hued forelock as the blue-eyed stallion gives his name. Shifting slightly on his limbs - muscles coiled - he remained unsure of the stranger. Nevertheless he offers his name as well, "I am Klaudius of Ischia... Formerly of Sylva. I was born here." Inquisitively adding, "I wouldn't have guessed a winged creature like yourself would have remained in the confines of a forest." He chuckles lightly, "It's rather hard to breath down here."
His eyes study the stallion. There was no threat to his tone or movements so his wings conformed back to his sides. Settling into the space around him and the conversation to be had. Listening attentively as Dahmer questions his business here. He smiles convincingly, "Reminiscing I suppose... Its been so long. I thought maybe I'd find my mother and sister still here." His eyes for a moment wander to find anything familiar in the landscape. His mother had always preferred the far ridgeline. There caves provided shelter and run-off streams water.
His gaze and attention returns to his company. A question of his own lingering, "Dahmer was it... Who rules Sylva these days? I assume Stillwater never returned." His inquiry innocent enough. He wasn't a spy but any information he may obtain could be vital knowledge in the future. Ischia is a peaceful place but that left it vulnerable to tyrants. His duty was to see it never fell victim to such a travesty...
