[SOLO/PLOT] Different Worlds, Still Family (Tara) FIN (coin)

[Tartara Seabreeze]

Pae'kippu Beach...the meeting place. Silver eyes watched the area warily even as his hooves met sand. Various pae were milling about, enjoying the warm sun rays. But the one he had come to see had yet to arrive. Raken. His stomach twisted and turned. He hadn't been out since...

That. Images of fire and blood, sounds of screaming of his name, of Lira's. Oh Lira. They had escaped, but he hadn't seen her out of her room since. Couldn't blame her, as his dreams were more often nightmares from it.

Kaidens hand tightened on the note, crumpling it. The shadow crow had flown in on the early morning sunrays with it, slipping through unnoticed to the Tree. All it said was to meet, here, now. That it was urgent. He looked up to the sky, feeling the wind rustle through his soft fur. What could his brother want?  

[Tartara Seabreeze]

Did he get it? The worried thought passed through his head for not the first time that day. His shadow bird had dissipated before reporting back, the power he once commanded so absolutely still a shell of its former strength. He would have to get back to training, after this time consuming scavenger hunt. The soft breeze rushed across his wings and body as he soared through the air towards their meeting place. It wasn't as though they had clocks, so 'around midday' was the best he could do with using the position of the sun. So he had no idea if he was late or early to the meeting. But as he gained ground, a green dot gave him his answer.

He angled his body to glide to the ground, pulling up at the last moment for his feet to touch the warm sand. It was a good place, filled with pae to make his brother feel more at ease. 'Family' or not, they were still practically strangers. It had been months since their last meeting, and years for the one prior to that. Most of his memories of Kaiden were him as a child, so what would that make it flip flopped? How much did the faun remember him?

Thought cut off as the suddenly happy male bounded towards him, tail flicking.

"Raken!" Kaiden exclaimed, pulling the albeit shocked looking demon into a hug. They were family! Family hugged! Right? At least the cooks in the Tree did as he grew up. "You should call for me more often. There's so much to talk about already! I made this great rabbit trap design I have to show you...You hunt right? It doesn't hurt them unless you-"

"-Whoa Kaiden. Good to see you too." The demon edged in, uneasily smiling as he pulled back from the hug. It might be just him, but even as 'happy go lucky' oozed from the faun, something seemed...off from him than before. Perhaps the nerves. It wasn't like he gave too many details in his note. "As much as I wish this was to catch up on our lives, I'm afraid I don't have the luxury of time to do so. The shorter this meeting is, the more time I have to accomplish the most difficult task." And there went Kaidens face, his bright smiling falling right off. A part of him felt bad, disappointing him. Disappointment though was another luxury he couldn't have.

So it was something important. Part of him was hoping it would be just a meet up to catch up, that 'urgent' could just be ignored. Obviously he was being sucked into another serious issue. "...What? What is it? Did something happen?"

It was a bit odd, looking up on his youngest brother. The faun were an odd race, so furry...like Malloren and Yuki. But strange deer hooves. "The Guardians...they are asking to have protection relics gathered. I believe something dangerous is coming..." He glanced around, noting the other pae having nothing to do with them. Everyone was having fun at the beach, unaware of the approaching danger. "They say to get a coin...from the faun." The moment afterwards seemed twice longer than it was, the demonic looking intently at the green male.

The Guardians...what were they again? Surely Raken mentioned them before...as a swear or something. They were a thing? Maybe they were like the Spirits that guided the Faun. He frowned at the thought of something dangerous coming. No one had mentioned anything like that to him. Why did these 'Guardians' know something he didn't?

What was said next almost floored him. "My...coin?" After a moment, the males hand fell next to his little hip pouch where he carried his hunting knife and most importantly, his protection medallion. "...What? Wait. No! There was a notice about this! The court warned about pae taking our talismans." Raken was one of them?! He took a step back, mind reeling.

Confusion, expected. Surprise, also expected. Rejection? Not so much. Raken blinked as the other stepped back. They were warning about it now? The Guardians wouldn't ask for anything that would hurt the faun, so why would they give warning about giving them some old coin? "I know, I know it is important to you." Well, not entirely. Unfortunately Raken was never one for negotiating. Though a reader, a wordsmith he was not. Who knew it would end up being a deciding factor in protecting his family. "Which is why it is needed for a powerful protection spell. It's why I need it for our family. I plan on gathering everything so I can protect everyone, including you." Would it be enough?  

[Tartara Seabreeze]

Who were these Guardians to think they knew better than Chief Rais? To make his brother do such awful things too! Taking pae's treasures. He took another step back. "If what your saying is true, and something bad is going to happen, then I'm going to need protection too. I'm going to need my medallion, now more than ever."

This was supposed to be the easy of two remaining things to get. He sighed deeply as he searched for the words to say that would convince his now spooked kin. Negotiations were not going so well at the moment. "The spell will be more powerful than the talismans would be alone. Your medallion may protect just you, but what of our family? Of our brothers and sisters? Of your nieces and grandnephews? And I will bring your coin back to you as soon as I am able to."

He felt his eyes narrow distrustfully. He didn't mean to, it just happened. This pae, whom he barely knew, wanted to take something he was specifically warned NOT to give.

But...Family. Mom...you'd give the coin to him...wouldn't you... From his patched memory, he could just recall his mom talking of Raken fondly. Praising him. So proud of him. He slowly pulled out his pouch. "...I know Mom would trust you." Kaiden reached in and pulled out the wooden coin. From here he knew journeying out of the Tree would be even rarer for him, as this was his protection whenever not home. "But give it back when you can. It's very important to me." With that, he extended it out to the demonic.

When the others eyes narrowed the thought occurred Kaiden might run. But if he couldn't get the coin from his own adopted brother, what chance did he have of getting it from any other faun? Not to mention it would break what ever remaining relationship they had between them. However, a thought seemed to pop into the green males head. From there his posture became looser, almost defeated. The pouch moved from Kaidens hip to his hands and out came the desired coin. Tartara. Even though she was dead her kind heart still helped him. Still being a mother to him. "I will. I swear." Raken took the coin from Kaidens extended hand, slowly exhaling in relief. "I apologize Kaiden, but as I said before..."

"I know. You have to go to another task. When you come back with my coin, we can talk. I think a reunion might be nice, with all of our family." That was a nice thought. A smile spread on his face anew at it.

He nodded, smiling back. "Agreed. And thank you Kaiden. As I said before, when this spell is completed, you can come to me and I will protect you with it."

The faun almost spoke to turn down the offer. Almost. Saying the Tree's protection would be more than what Raken could offer...might prove disrespectful of his entire quest. "...Thank you." He settled instead before turning to head back. The sooner he got back to the Tree without his talisman, the better.

~Fin~

OOC: YYEEAAAHHHH! 3/4 done! ^o^