[PRP] Shhh, I got you. [Laykos x Nola]

[NymiiNym]

Laykos was bitter. His throat tightened as he growled towards the pool of water he had briefly dunked his head in after his long flight, tail whipping violently side to side. He had, again, dwelled on the past, reminding himself of a woman who had promised to love him and her partner, or ex-partner. His anger was more directed at the ex-partner, a 'phim with odd parts and a strange, timid demeanor. He was the reason the other one had abandoned him. He had left, and then Laykos was abandoned by the both of them, just as his birth parents had done. He was still bitter, finding his mouth dry as he reminded himself of just how much he wanted to tear a new one into that 'phim. He had things to say, feelings to express, and yet both had vanished before he could utter a word.

Perhaps that was why he travelled so much; to find them. To yell at them. To scream and demand why even they didn't want to give him a home. Growing up was hard, having been abandoned twice. The second his wings were big enough he had fled into the sky, promising to help anyone he could despite the lack of help he had been given, and to find the two who gave him foolish hope. However, he had gone too far, again. His wings ached, having had no rest in the past three days. His stomach rumbled, and his head burned as it reminded him of his lack of water intake. He really needed to take better care of himself....

"I should try and avoid the tribe nearby." He muttered to himself. Lunarie, was it? He didn't want a fight to ensue because of any potential trespassing. He wasn't like most 'daeva's, he didn't want a fight unless it was to protect the weak. He just wanted to get some food in him, some water, and curl up somewhere before the oncoming storm. Maybe even try and find some company, though he hadn't seen a soul in weeks.

jinxgirl5

 

[jinxgirl5]

Word count: 514

Nola scurried about the forest, pausing every now and then to peer into clumps of bushes. Scurry might have been an odd word to describe the movement of something as large as she, but it was fairly apt. When she moved she did so with quick, short steps, keeping her body low to the ground like she was ready to go into a crouch at any second, going from one bit of cover to the next. Her sister has once commented it was like watching a bit mouse. Sagan had sat on Olivia and assured her her walk was perfectly fine. Nola has muttered something in reply, mostly because she was worried Olivia might suffocate under Sagan if she didn't show a smiling face. Sagan could get very sensitive when it came to her, and while most of the time it was a relief to know he was there she sometimes thought he took things too far.

She was highly nervous being out on her own today without her brother along, but Nola wanted to surprise Sagan and the others with some wild strawberries. The plants were small and grew in random clusters. The delicious fruits were quite a treat, but they took a bit of hunting to find and most of the time the others were too busy to go out looking for them. Nola hummed softly to herself as she peered under another bush, the gentle burble of the river a pleasant noise in the background. This was always a good place to look, where there was a bit of space for sunlight to come down and abundant water nearby. The plants tended to grow at the foot of trees or around clusters of bush or undergrowth, so she kept her nose to the ground as she went.

As she wiggled under another bush to peek around, a splash of color off to the side caught her eye right as a faintly sweet scent hit her nose. Making a soft noise of triumph she wiggle out from under the bush and trotted around it, heading for the spot she had glimpsed the berries. So preoccupied was she that she cleared the leafy foliage and was actually standing in front of the berries when something that she'd seen in her peripheral vision finally registered in her brain. Something big. And brown. And blue-ish green. And not very tree-shaped. Turning very slowly, she noticed for the first time she wasn't alone in this spot by the river. Her limbs started to shake and she had to fight to keep from instantly dropping to the ground. She knew most of the members of Lunarie by smell if not by sight, and this wasn't one of them. Was she still in Lunarie land? She didn't think she'd traveled that far, but she hadn't been paying as much attention as she should. Tongue tied and unable to move an inch, she just stared at the first Daeva she'd ever seen up close. Bigger than even her grandpa Ari, she was sure her heart would stop in terror!

Yushika

 

[NymiiNym]

Now, he hadn't really been paying attention when a tiny little vixen scuttled by. No, he was far too busy complaining mentally to himself, head flopping onto his paws as a low grunt rumbled through his throat. His wings limply laid against his side, throbbing in pain as the hungry and thirsty male just made quiet grumbles to himself. Sure, he should get up and hunt, but he was exhausted. That wasn't happening anytime soon.

Blue flashed in the corner of his eye, golden eyes flicking to the side and his head raising slowly to spot a rather tense vixen staring right at him. His head immediately cocked to the side, one wing raising in a slight shake.

"Hello?" The big guy didn't move, other than his wing giving a comical wave. He was too lazy to attempt to get up and greet her, and by the looks of her she probably would scream and run. His eyes flicked to her tail, spotting the tattoo. Ah, s**t. Was he in Lunarie land. Folding his wing against his side, the male flicked his ears back apologetically.

"Am I in Lunarie land? Sorry... I can leave."

jinxgirl5

 

[jinxgirl5]

Word count: 592

The instant the Daeva started to talk Nola's limbs, already pretty still, had frozen so much in place that she stopped breathing for a second. Not a comfortable arrangement to hold to for long, though she wouldn't have to since in a few minutes she'd likely pass out. Or shatter, cause that's how still her muscles felt. After the Daeva asked a question about the land she thawed enough to let out a strangled squeak and quickly dove behind the tree she was standing by.

She wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, the Daeva beside the river and her behind the tree. It could have been a few seconds, minutes, hours. Heck, the whole day could probably have passed, though that was less likely. Nocturnal by nature, the tribe was most active at night. Their Deity was the moon after all. But the moon was up during the day too, and she was only really up now because it was easier to spot the berries when the sun was up.

However long Nola had been hiding behind the tree, she finally managed to scrape together every shred of courage in her body and peeked around the tree. The Daeva was still there. She quickly pulled her head back. As she huddled on the ground, the scent of berries filling her nose and the rough bark of the tree pressed against her body, she became aware of another sense. The sound of the river had covered it up pretty well, but she could hear the Daeva breathing. It sounded rough and tired, like that time Sagan had gone hunting alone and hadn't come back for well over a day. He dragged in a nice deer when he finally did show up, but he collapsed soon after and fell into a deep sleep for some time. His breathing had sounded similar. Peeking out from behind the tree again, Nola's bright pinks eyes held a bit of worried curiosity. Now that she looked, she could seem the Daeva was trembling a bit too. She couldn't imagine something as big as him being scared of something as small as her. Even his wings seemed to tremble. Was he sick? Their tribe was known for its size, not its healing techniques, but they managed quite well on their own.

Pulling back again, Nola worried her lip with her teeth in indecision. She wasn't sure what to do. If the Daeva was sick and too tired to move, he would need help. She was afraid of him, but that didn't mean he deserved to die. He might even be a great person. She knew her family and lots of her tribe were great people, but she got spooked around them as well.

Decision made, it took everything she had to go through with it. Her limbs trembled violently as she worked, to the point where she wondered if she could even stand up. Even with all the courage she could muster she was still beyond terrified, but overriding all of that fear and pushing her limbs to stand and come from behind the tree, was the desire to help. Moving like a startled deer she slowly crept forward until she was about a yard away from the tip of the Daeva's wing. She carefully set her tail on the ground, pushed it forward, then darted right back behind the tree. There on the ground where her tail had been, in a neat pile within reach of the Daeva, was a small pile of sweet summer strawberries.

Yushika

 

[NymiiNym]

Ah. Cute. She had stared right at him, and the fear was obvious. He had attempted to look smaller, but even he was a bit big for a 'Daeva. There was no shrinking. His eyes stayed warm, though it pained him to keep his head raised. Slowly lowering it, he watched her squeak and hide, a soft hum escaping him. Adorable. Normally, he'd get up and approach such a frightened woman and offer his comfort, though nausea rushed through him. He did not feel up to rising right now, and perhaps this woman would have to do without his desire to protect and comfort all frightened women.

Slowly, his eyes closed, wings twitching as they trembled gently. He shifted slightly, curling onto his side and drawing his limbs under his wings as they wrapped around his body. Like a small kitten trying to nap in a bright room, the curled up ball attempted to rid the bright light from his eyes by rubbing a tired arm over his eyes. Damn, he just wanted to sleep, but his stomach refused to allow him to drift off.

And then he heard movement. His head briefly lifted just in time to catch the little vixen dart behind a tree. Confused, he rolled back onto his stomach, head cocking to the side and mouth opening before it snapped shut, head jerking to view where that sweet scent was coming from. Tail twitching, the large 'Daeva spotted the strawberries, stomach loudly announcing its hunger the second his eyes spotted it.

"For me?" His deep voice rumbled as a paw extended, pulling the berries closer to him. "Thank you, miss." Ah, cuuuuute. Lowering his head, he took a few berries and crunched them within his mouth, making a slight humming noise of appreciation. It took all of his will power and intelligence to not just stuff them all in his face, though he wasn't very dainty as he ate, either.

jinxgirl5

 

[jinxgirl5]

Word count: 791

Nola peeked behind the tree again, face as low to the ground as she could get it. It probably really did look like a giant mouse, with the way only her snout and large eyes showed. If it wasn't for the eyes she would probably be almost impossible to spot with her dark-colored fur. There wasn't anything as bright pinks as her eyes found around here though, and they had a tendency to stand out if she couldn't hide in some nice foliage. She felt a rush of pleasure to see her gift being so well received. Once she ascertained he was indeed eating her little gift she quickly pulled back behind the tree. She could tell he was eating with a will. It made sense. If he was sick his body would crave more food in order to combat whatever was ailing him. She didn't think he'd have trouble finding anything to eat, big as he was, but the strain of hunting or foraging was probably taking a toll.

She looked down at the strawberries. There were one or two that were half-ripe, but she'd stripped the small patch of all the clearly edible ones. He could still eat the half-ripe ones, but they tended to make the stomach very upset with the eater. Her eyes drifted over to the river. Moving quickly and stealthily she scurried away. Once she was sure she was out of sight of the Daeva she stepped away from the trees and moved to the river bank, bright eyes scanning the water. Sagan was always bragging about her eyes, saying she could beat a hawk any day. She wasn't all as sure as that, but it made her proud to hear him say so. She did seem to have a knack for spotting things most people missed.

Dark fur dripping, Nola moved back to where she had last seen the Daeva, a large fish in her jaws. She'd had to practically leap into the water to catch the thing, and her neck was sore from holding it while it had thrashed its life away. It still twitched occasionally, sending little painful reminders into her muscles. She was quite proud though. She didn't fish too often because Sagan preferred land animals when they hunting together, but she seemed to have a knack for it. She was glad her skills hadn't declined. Apprehension filled her with every step she took forward. What if the Daeva wasn't there anymore. What if he had died while she was gone? What if he was mean and the berries had only made him that much hungrier? She would make an excellent meal if he took it in his head to attack. Or what if he was too weak to eat the fish and choked on a bone and died. Her thoughts ran around in frantic circles, trapping her muscles in indecision. The fish flopped weakly again, prompting her to keep moving. She would just have to figure things out. She couldn't just leave. If for no other reason at all, it would be prudent to gather as many observations as possible and report the intruder to Grandpa Ari. Assuming she hadn't wandered off Lunarie grounds entirely. She didn't think she had, but since this was the eastern river it was a possibility. The river mostly ran through an open plain and didn't meet with the forest until it got to the edge of the lands Lunarie had claimed.

Nola's thoughts were put to a halt as passed a tree that had obstructed her vision of the river, showing her the bank and the figure of the Daeva, still curled up. She froze out of reflex, then forced her limbs to move again. It was hard when it felt like her legs would give out from underneath her at at second, hard to keep her gaze on the Daeva when she wanted to drop her eyes to the ground like she normally did. She couldn't bring herself to look at his face, but watching his legs and body would give her warning enough if he made a sudden move. This close to the river she could just dive in. She was a good swimmer and winged creatures didn't like to get wet since it made it hard to fly until they dried off. With all the logic she had mustered up, she still couldn't bring herself to get closer than a few yards. She tried to stay between the Daeva and the river, moving just close enough that she could set the fish down and not worry about it flopping into the water by accident, then quickly retreating a little further down the shore, with the flowing current lapping at her paws.

Yushika

 

[NymiiNym]

His eyes had caught her peeking out, mouth opening, only to close when she darted off. "Ah, wai-" Andddd she was gone. The male frowned, glancing at the berries and lapping them right up. Damn, he had wanted to thank her properly. Feeling slightly better, the male groaned as he stretched his wings, though once more flopped his head down. Ahhhh, that had helped.... But it didn't curb all of the hunger. He had strength to get up, at least, but hunting would need to wait once he managed to forage. He could do that, at least, thanks to the pretty and adorable vixen he had just met. She had been so tiny..... Probably the cutest vixen he had seen in a long time. Apparently, his type were small, painfully adorably, but terrified of him. Was he scary looking? s**t, what did he look like since he hadn't eaten in awhile and clearly was not feeling well? She probably thought he was dangerous.... given how quick she fled.

His right ear flicked as movement rustled nearby, head raising and his body freezing the second he spotted the familiar vixen. Alright. Careful... don't move too much.... His body stayed rigid as he tried to keep as still as possible as to not frighten her off, as if he was a human wishing to pet an alert deer. The giant 'Daeva and tiny normal must have looked odd to any outsiders, especially due to how rigid they both were. However, his stomach betrayed him as he spotted the fish, his tail wagging before he could stop it. She had dropped it far enough from him that he'd have to move slightly, and she herself had moved quite a distance.

Lowering his body against the ground, the male wiggled closer to the fish, eying the vixen as he tried to make himself as small as possible. Inching to the fish, he nipped its tail and dragged it to his body, nails digging in to split the fish and begin deboning. However, he did have manners, his tail curling around himself as he slowly glanced at her.

"Thank you... again. Do you want some? It's really sweet of you to offer this.... and it's big... I can split it for us?" His voice, while deep, attempted to come off as reassuring, though he sounded more like an awkward teen who had a cold. It was clear he didn't know what to say to such kindness, but wanted to repay her.

jinxgirl5

 

[jinxgirl5]

Word count: 173

Nola shook her head so hard her long ears flapped about, taking another half-step back. She could eat of course, but she was very well fed and didn't actually need to do so at the moment. Besides, she had caught the fish for the Daeva. Given his own size she'd thought the fish barely met the standards of a meal, and probably a light one. It was nice of him to think to offer, but-

"I-It's for you," Nola whispered in a voice so quiet that the river rushing along besides her probably drowned the words out with its own vocabulary of burbles and hisses. She wanted to flee, really badly wanted to, but she also wanted to make sure the male was able to eat without problems. It was promising that he'd been able to start the process of removing the bones, so at least she knew he had enough strength to be capable of that much. She knew if she didn't make sure though she'd just end up worrying over it.

Yushika

 

[NymiiNym]

He couldn't hear her response, though he assumed by her violent head shake the answer was no. Glancing at the fish and then her, he awkwardly nodded. "Alright... well... I'm going to eat it, okay?" Well of course he was! Ugh, he probably looked like a complete fool to her! Focusing on the process of deboning rather than the fact he was not a smooth talker. Suddenly, his ears flicked up, paw stopping mid-deboning.

"Oh. I'm Laykos." His voice was as soft as he could make it, attempting to mold it for the timid vixen. "I'm not from around here, as you could probably tell. I'm sorry if my size scares you... but I'd never harm a woman. Or anyone, for that matter. Just, I'm not like most 'daeva's. Not like all 'daeva's are evil.... or bad.... or...." He suddenly snapped his mouth shut, a slight blush on his face. s**t. He was rambling. He didn't expect a response from her, nor did he prompt one from her, either. If she wasn't comfortable that was okay.

"Anyway... my point is I won't hurt you, miss." Finished with his deboning, the male took a quick bite, tail wagging in appreciation. Mmm. He rarely had fish, mostly because he hated water. It was delicious, though. Perhaps he could brave a river here and there..

jinxgirl5

 

[jinxgirl5]

Word count: 319

The Daeva's words drifted towards her, just loud enough that she could catch them without having to strain to listen. A tiny smile flashed across her face at the self-conscious announcement. She was glad he planned to eat the fish. It was a much better use than say wearing it or playing games with it. Amused, she had allowed herself to relax for a split second, then all her usual worries can rushing in again and she tensed once more. She really couldn't divine any intent to harm coming from him. Unless he was the best actor she had ever seen, he was being sincere. His introduction to her only served to prove her guesses.

She darted away from the river and into the trees, vanishing from sight. Even the blues of her coat helped her to blend in with the shadows. Slinking forward, she came partially out of a section of undergrowth that was a bit closer to the river than her spot behind the tree had been. It was still a protected place, for she could not bring herself to ignore her instincts to hide. Those had been with her since the day she was born. Still, she was sure enough about the Daeva who called himself Laykos that she had moved closer, so that he might be able to hear her speak. She had never been loud, not even when she was upset.

"I'm Nola, f-from the Lunarie Tribe," she said, trying to raise her voice out of a whisper though it was still very quiet. She thought about adding how she had never seen a Daeva close-up before, but it seemed like a strange thing to say, even if her throat hadn't closed up. She'd already spoken more words to this stranger than she usually did to members of her own family. On any given day she could get by with less than a dozen.

Yushika

 

[NymiiNym]

Disappointment rushed through him as she darted away. Had he said something bad? Was he too awkward? Did she actually want the fish and he should have given her some? Did he smell bad? Questions flicked through his head until she re-emerged, slightly closer this time. Visibly delight crossed his face, tail wagging in response before he took another bite of fish. One ear flicked up when she spoke, head raising slowly. Even her voice was cute, though he had to strain to hear her. Offering a friendly and broad smile, the winged being poked at his fish before responding quietly, unable to match how quiet she was but damn well trying in hopes of keeping her relaxed.

"Lunarie is the moon tribe, right? I've never been to a tribe." Which was true. Laykos tended to avoid tribes. He was so large.... he didn't want to frighten any of the members. Also, he was often so busy with his own personal mission that he never actually attempted to visit one.

jinxgirl5

 

[jinxgirl5]

Word count: 176

Nola nodded her head in response. Most people had heard of Lunarie in passing if nothing else. They were one of the oldest tribes. Most of them were quiet and didn't show themselves often. They weren't aggressive, so strangers were allowed passage through their lands as long as they meant to harm. They only kept watch since it was good to make sure others kept to their best behavior. They were also largely active around night, another reason it was hard to find Lunarie members.

"Most keep to themselves," she said softly, as though explaining why he might never have met any from their tribe before. She wondered a little if Laykos disliked tribes, if he had never visited one before. There were several out there, and though she'd never come into contact with any of them she at least knew their names. He didn't have to hate tribes to have never visited one though. They were a bit scattered and only a few welcomed those who did not intend to join to stay with them.

Yushika

 

[NymiiNym]

Nodding at her response, the 'daeva finished up his fish in two swift bites, stretching his claws out as his arms extended. A sigh of relief escaped him, feeling mildly better. Surely he could hunt now. He didn't leave his spot, though, nor did he advance on Nola. Instead, he folded his wings carefully do his side, resting his head on his paws as he watched the sweet vixen.

"I'm sorry if I inconvenienced you, Nola." He mused, offering an apologetic smile. "You seem a bit timid.... why are you alone? Are you okay?" Genuine concern touched his tone, especially because the male lived off protecting others (though, he tended to focus on protecting women).

jinxgirl5

 

[jinxgirl5]

Word count: 160

Nola rocked her weight back and forth, causing her to duck a bit into the undergrowth before coming back out again, more just a nervous gesture than an intent to hide. She had to think hard about what she wanted to say, because it took a lot of effort to force her voice out. Even more so to pitch it at any great volume, though she did try her best not to mumble.

"I was looking for berries. My...I'm good at finding hidden things." That was the condensed version at least. The rest just seemed like trivial details. She doubted he'd find any use in the information that she was the best at berrying in her immediate family, or that they were fond of berries and she wanted to surprise them. Even if she was practiced in small talk like that, she didn't want to fill his ears with natterings about people he'd never met and knew nothing about.

Yushika

 

[NymiiNym]

Looking for berries? Wait. Did he eat the berries she had been looking for? They had been strawberries, and even he knew that they were hard to find. Ah, she must have spent awhile trying to get them, only to feed a bumbling idiot like himself. Shifting his weight, he moved just a bit closer, only so she could see his expressions better.

"Were the strawberries you gave me something you were looking for? I could help you find more, maybe? I'm not that good at handling small things, but I have a good nose. And I want to repay you for your kindness, if that's okay with you."

jinxgirl5