[PLOT] Cleaning Up (Faroth, Chika, Eligor, & Harveer)

[Teigra]

Another fallen branch crashed into the cart, wood splintering and protesting as the contents settled into place. Faroth dusted his hands together, then shouldered the harness of the cart once more. His hands rested on the levered handles of the contraption, though a majority of the weight was handled by his broad shoulders now. He'd found it much easier after rigging up the shoulder harness. Less likely to tire out before the job was done this way.

The poor behemoth had taken more than a usual beating from the harsh weather, and many Fauns trotted about the base, attending to the Great Tree's needs. It was a chance for them all to pay her back for the way that she cared for them all on a day-to-day basis. Some gathered the fallen debris, others had begun treating the tree's harshest wounds. A few brave souls had already set out on the Isle to search for the acorns that had fallen from the highest branches of the Tree during the storm. Faroth would have been the obvious choice to go with them, even lead the search, given that he actually lived on the Isle and knew its inhabitants possibly better than any Faun residing in Laisidhiel...but he had other talents that were of more use here, at least for now.

He'd offered to help with the worst of the clean-up, then he'd take his leave and head for the island. He'd at least get some of the heavier debris carted off, considering many who had gone to the Isle to hunt for the acorns had been the hunters and other larger males. No use leaving women to do this heavy work. Especially when he could do it so much easier.

Strength was one of Faroth's natural assets, it seemed. He wondered if it might have anything to do with...well, no time to spend distracted by one's thoughts, not when there was so much work to do. He paused to toss a couple smaller branches into the cart, then continued on, eyes passing over the surrounding area and wondering where his companion was. She had to be nearby somewhere.
 

[Dementia Requiem Asumi]

Wobbling under a branch, smaller in comparison to the one Faroth had just loaded, Chika was making her way to a slowly growing pile of debris from Laisidhiel. As it rolled off, she blinked, straightening her back for a moment. "That wasn't supposed to happen so soon.." Chika frowned, turning around to look for Faroth.

There was the speckled gray faun she had been cleaning with! Grinning, the striped girl made her way over to him. "Look, I found a big one~" she'd remembered to stop herself from giggling. It only took her a minute before her gray brown eyes traced over to the cart he was hauling. He'd found a bigger one.. And gotten it into the cart. Her grin swiftly disappeared, turning to a frown. "Yours is bigger."

 

[Teigra]

Pausing as the sound of the light, female voice reached his ears, Faroth turned with a smile, setting the cart to rest so they could get the new piece of debris loaded up. "Good job," the dappled Faun shot back automatically, then paused at her sudden change of expression. Oh Chika...

Faroth chuckled softly, shaking his head as he crossed to his new friend. He hadn't known her long, and as he understood it, she'd come with that odd young woman, Artemis, to the Great Tree when Chieftain Rais had summoned them all for the counsel-choosing ceremony. Likely, she was still making herself at home here in Laisidhiel. Still, nothing like pitching in to help out with the community to make one feel like they were home. Or something.

"Aww..." She looked so cute, frowning like that. "...don't worry about it, Chika! Every bit helps, you know, no matter what size. What's important is that we're all pitching in to help! Now, let's get that up into the cart," he offered, placing a hand on the limb to help her if she'd accept it.

With that done, he trotted back to the front of the cart, hefting the shoulder harness back in place. "Well, I think that does it for this area! Let's see if anyone else is around that needs help. Could be a few stragglers about," he commented idlly, shooting a warm smile at his female friend.

He may or may not have been flexing, or attempting to, as he started off again with the cart.  

[Dementia Requiem Asumi]

She kept frowning for a moment. Well at least he had a point. Every bit did help, even if he managed to get the bigger branches that had fallen. It wasn't much like she could carry them on her own anyways. "Okay, it's cart time for the rolly branch~" Chika's frown turned to a grin at that. He was a kind faun to help her out even when she was being pouty.

"I think there's a few faun finishing up over that way, but it looks like the cart is full." Her head tilted a bit. Sure they could pile it all the way up, but then he wouldn't be able to pull it anymore. "Just because you're really strong," She blushed a little, "doesn't mean you should push it."

 

[Teigra]

Faroth frowned, halting and glancing back over his shoulder at the contents of the cart. "Hmm...it is getting a bit full," he conceded, adding, "I hadn't really noticed." Right. "Well, can't have things tumbling out and all over. Sort of defeats the purpose of this, doesn't it?" He chuckled, hoping to cover that he was starting to have some difficulties with the cart, if only on some of the steeper slopes and rough terrain.

And perhaps that flushing in his cheeks wasn't just from her earlier compliment.

"Come on. We'll drop off this load, then see if we can find the others who are finishing up. Sound good, Chika?" The larger branches were being collected back at the tree to see what could be salvaged for usable items. Likely, the Tree Shaper would be exceedingly busy for a while, between the repairs being done to the Tree, as well as all the damaged wood that could be shaped into useful tools. What the smaller debris might be used for, well, it was beyond Faroth. He just heard that things needed cleaning up, and he could collect and fetch, so that was good enough for him.  

[Dementia Requiem Asumi]

Chika nodded, looking at the cart again. "I'll help you up the hills" She offered, smiling. He looked all hot and sweaty under the harness for that cart. It couldn't have been very comfortable at all.

"That sounds good to me~" The female giggled, bouncing her chest with her as she did. He was being so sweet to carry the cart for them both, it was the least she could do to provide a little bit of innocent service. "I think they're collecting a pile pretty close, but I can't really see it all that well.." She frowned a bit, looking off in the distance. It was probably the pile back at the tree that she had heard of. It wasn't like she'd been listening that hard when the others had talked about it.

"Maybe those guys were talking about the pile near the tree that The Tree Shaper asked us to make? I don't see why we'd have more than one pile anyways."

 

[Teigra]

Faroth chuckled, the cart rumbling along with a clatter behind him as they headed back towards the gathering point. "Makes sense. Can't see why we'd have more than one pile, since the whole point I think is to get everything gathered together in one place, right?" He laughed again, covering a slight nervous warble in his tone. No, he totally wasn't nervous about being out here alone with a pretty female, working hard, getting all sweaty and stuff...

Nope, not him.

"So, err...Chika?" he started, looking for a new topic of conversation. "How have you been? Have you been making yourself here at home? In Laisidhiel, I mean? Everyone being nice to you?"

-----



Some distance away, a pair of blue-hued Pae'il watched the Fauns work, as individuals, as well as a group, bustling around the monstrous tree that towered over the tiny isle floating alongside greater Telrunya. The demonic teen turned to his angelic compatriot, frowning. "What do you think they're doing, Harveer? Repairs of some sort, it seems? Clean-up from the storm, most likely," he mused aloud, as much to himself as to the other teen. He thought best that way sometimes; it helped to work through problems by discussing them, even if the other never added to the conversation.

He turned back to the pair in closest proximity, more of the ones with the trees on their heads who called themselves 'Ancients'. Why? Where would they get such an inane idea, let alone believe such a thing, when all the signs of the Guardians said otherwise? Were they truly evil? Or just so blind and ignorant that they accepted whatever lies they were fed? And if so, then who exactly was feeding these lies to them? They could still be saved in that case; they couldn't help being ignorant, of course.

What of these two in particular? Should they continue observing for now, or confront them? If so, for what purpose? Depending on how they went about it, perhaps this could be an information gathering mission, straight from the heathen source.
 

[Dementia Requiem Asumi]

Chika nodded in agreement. It did kinda make sense now that he kinda explained it. The female grinned a bit, looking up at him through gray eyes. "That's a good point~ I suppose a bunch of small piles in one area is easier to manage than one great big one." Chika offered, still grinning.

Was his laugh a bit nervous? Blinking as if she normally would, the striped female thought for a moment. He was being all sweaty and hot looking wasn't he? She blushed a bit at his questioning, he was the first one to ask her too.

"They're being nice.." Her gaze went down to her hooves, fidgeting a bit. "It's a bit lonely inside her now though.. Sometimes I miss my herd.." She looked back up, blushing a bit. Missing her herd was akin to missing her family or wanting one of her own to her. "Thank you for asking.."

-----

"It looks kind of like they're picking up the debris left from the storm." He frowned a bit, looking across at the nearest pair of these so called ancient beings. He'd seen one with a tail before, but he'd never been close to any of the other abominations. They were all so weird looking to say the very least.

His golden orbs closed, thinking for a moment. They would have to do something about these so called ancient beings. They barely looked older than the two future knights. "What shall we do about these two Eligor?" Harveer asked, raising a brow to look at the demonic squire he'd ventured out with. "I've never seen one with hooves and fur before.." He admitted, frowning a bit. It wasn't something he was always ready to admit to.

 

[Teigra]

"Aw, don't worry about it, Chika," Faroth muttered, scratching his neck as an excuse to look down, away from her eyes. "Everybody gets lonely sometime. There's always someone in Laisidhiel to turn to, though," he looked up now with a grin. He'd spent a long time at the Tree for this visit; enough to see how things had changed, if only some of the little things, but some of the important things as well...like the way Rais had changed, if only slightly, towards outsiders. Of course, one had to know him to notice the change, but...he seemed more open towards non-Faun now than he had been at least.

-----

Eligor considered the situation silently for a moment before answering his companion. "Me neither. But they don't seem threatening, at least, not at the moment. These two seem busy enough with their current task, as well as with each other," he mused, having analyzed their behavior while they observed their more obvious actions. "We should take this as a learning opportunity. Reconnaissance, if you will."

He hesitated a bit longer, double and triple checking his plan for any obvious flaws before he noticed the two creatures had nearly trekked out of sight. They were nearing the gathering of the others! They needed to keep them alone, at least for now, so they wouldn't be outnumbered by the creatures if something went horribly awry. Eli shot a glance at Harveer, then stood and stepped confidently towards the strange beings. Raising a hand, he called out to stop them. "Excuse me! My friend and I seem to have lost our way. Could you tell us where we are, dear sir and madam?"  

[Dementia Requiem Asumi]

Chika blushed, looking out towards the tree. "Perhaps I will find someone soon?" She was looking away from him, afraid to meet his eyes if he was looking at her. She was a chicken sometimes.

"Are you going to stay in the tree?" She asked only to jump a bit when a pair of outsiders walked up to them and asked a question.

"We are outside the great tree, Laisidhiel." She tilted her head, looking at the one who'd asked the question. "Who are you two?"

"The great tree?" He'd read of it once or twice. At least that put them in a vague location on a very old map he'd gotten his hands on. "We are a couple of lost friends." He smiled, looking at the pair of hooved creatures. They were an odd looking lot.

The angel glanced over towards Eligor, wondering if the other would add anything to the story. It's not like they were lost or anything, but it never hurt to have a solid story.

 

[Teigra]

"For a while, at least, to help out. Then I might head back...to..." Faroth frowned, his attention shifting from Chika to the two winged strangers. He must have been distracted not to notice their arrival. Even with the area swarming with busy Faun, he would have thought he'd have noticed someone approaching them. Wow...he really must be distracted. Of course, he was, at least previously, alone...with a pretty female...

Clearing his throat, Faroth looked the pair over without suspicion. He knew their Chieftain was still getting used to the idea of Blood Pae, or any other non-Faun Pae for that matter, journeying near Laisidhiel. However, Faroth had actually spent quite a bit of time out on the isle. He'd actually sort of adopted a second family, though he wasn't sure how Rais would have liked hearing that just yet. Might be a bit much for him.

Still, Faroth had gotten to know a number of Angels and Demons from the Isle and had always felt welcomed by them. Despite all the warnings of gloom and doom, he still held out hope that it was all just a great misunderstanding. He had his 'secret mission' to get to as soon as the clean-up from the storm was taken care of; he'd gather as much information as he could on his own. Anything suspicious, he could report to his people. And if he found nothing? Well, then he'd be an early ambassador for his people, meeting other Pae'il all across the Isle, learning of the changes the island had undergone in recent times.

Eligor's eyes passed from one Faun to the other. Despite being only teenagers, he noted with interest that Harveer, and particularly himself, were on eye-level with the other pair, who seemed to be fully grown adults. Interesting. On the other hand, they looked much more muscular, stockier, where he and Harveer were leaner, lighter. Most likely to aid in flying. What a fascinating observation...

Catching his fellow Squire's look, he coughed, stepping forward with a polite nod. "Our apologies if we're trespassing. I suppose we got a bit turned around in the forest, and before we knew it, we were completely lost. We noticed the err...Great Tree, was it? Figured it would be the most obvious landmark in the area and headed this way to try and get our bearings," he offered with a sheepish look and a light chuckle.

He cast a general look around, then gestured to the cart. "Seems you had some of the worst of the storm come through here. You're not the only ones out here, are you? That's a lot of work for just two." He could have sworn he'd heard other voices, and they'd wanted to keep these two separated from the others to keep from being out-numbered. He had no exact numbers though, not from just what he'd heard. "I thought I heard voices coming from this way," he admitted, "That's why I'd hoped to find help. Do you all live here?"  

[Dementia Requiem Asumi]

Chika tilted her head, looking at the winged travelers. It wasn't that she was wary of travelers, but she had never really seen another being her size with wings. How could beings with wings be lost? They could just fly up to the skies and look at where they were couldn't they?

"I think you're alright to be around here Strange ones." Her head tilted to the other side as she took in more details about them. Their eyes were similar in color, did that make them brothers? Their wings were so different from one another, was that possible? Curiosity getting the better of her, Chika grinned, getting ready to ask a question of her own before the one with webbed wings asked about the storm.

"There are others out here, we would never be able to clean all this up so quickly by ourselves." She smiled, thinking of how well everyone worked together to keep the tree healthy and liveable. "There are a lot of us that live inside the tree. I think most of them are out picking up the debris from the storm though..."

That was a good thing, if none of the others were around. The paler of the two squires smiled to the male. He seemed to know the area a bit better than she did, though she seemed to be more talkative between the two.

"There wasn't anyone harmed during the storm out here was there?" Harveer sounded concerned. If there were that many of the hooved beings living inside this tree, it was likely that someone had been harmed. It had been a rather harsh storm, even while they were tucked safely away inside the city.

 

[Teigra]

This time, it was Faroth who offered up an answer. "Fortunately, no." Then he paused, shaking his head. "Well, I should correct myself: none of the Faun were injured, at least not that I've heard. The Great Tree took some damage, however, rather than those she protected." He frowned, glancing towards Chika for confirmation. "I actually wasn't here during the storm. I was somewhere nearby, though, and as soon as it blew over, I hurried back to help with the repairs and clean-up." All the Faun could feel the damage that had been done to the Great Tree. It had been instinctual to come back to help; at least, for one with no place of his own to take care of first.

So there were others...but the implication of so many, taking refuge in a tree without anyone being injured? It was too fantastic to believe. Eligor weighed this new information in silence before deciding what to say next. With a discrete glance towards Harveer, he prompted, "You're sure you don't need some help? It's the least we could do to chip in." Hard labor wasn't exactly his forte, but he had a higher mission. These two at least did not act like hostile beings. Perhaps they were only misled. If the Squires could lead by example, perhaps they might get these strange beings to open up to them, share information about the others like them from this tree, and even open their minds to the righteous worship of the Guardians.

It was worth a try. Hopefully, Harveer would catch on to his line of thinking, or at least go with it until he could explain in private later.  

[Dementia Requiem Asumi]

Harveer was shocked. This tree didn't look like it would house many of the abnormal creatures, if anything at all. The pale angel simply smiled, nodding here and there while he took in all of this information. "We'd be more than happy to help you get a few things back in order." He offered after catching the words from Eligor. If nothing else, it would be a good chance to try and change these creatures over to the guardians.

Chika looked over to Faroth. She knew a couple extra pairs of hands were always a good thing, but she couldn't tell if it was a good idea to tell the winged boys were okay to help. She hadn't seen any others with wings anywhere near the tree. "Uh.. I don't know. What do you think Faroth?" The Okapi asked, grinning as she had been a few minutes ago.

 

[Teigra]

Faroth looked the pair over again, considering. "You really don't have to, you know. I'm sure you have other places to be." Part of his male ego was making itself known, insisting that he was fine, that he could take care of this by himself. His brain, fortunately, was winning the argument, however; this job was far too big for only a few. "But...if you really want to...a couple of extra pairs of hands would be welcome and appreciated."

Eligor smiled in response, nodding to the strange pair. This was as good a chance as any to start. "Of course," he said with a half-bow. "The will of the Guardians is that those who have share with those who have not. We have time and energy, and your group seems in need of both. One must never abandon those in need."

Turning to Harveer, the blue demon smiled again. "Perhaps we were not so lost as we believed. Maybe the Light led us here to lend our assistance to our new friends." Okay, perhaps he was laying it on a little thick to start. Pull back, Eli; wait until you're sure they're receptive.