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 Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 1:15 pm
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Zena was, frankly, pretty useless on her own, and the thought of her leaving her family again, after it took so long to reunite with them, was ridiculous. But she couldn't bring herself to remain here either. It brought back too many fond memories of a happier time, before her father's tribe fell apart. Inherent in these nice reflections is the cold realization that she no longer lived that life.
She had to get away, at least for a little while. She convinced her siblings it was for the best. With their parents gone, she needed to really learn how to take care of herself. Everyone tried to coddle her, and Zena normally loved it, but not here in the shadows of their family's ruin. Besides, she had been on her own before. For a little while. She'd be fine. Especially now that she definitely knew that her brother and sister were safe.
It had been a week since she had left home now and this rocky terrain was nothing like she had ever experienced. And Zena didn't like it. She didn't know where she was going, her paws hurt, and where would food be in this area anyways. All she could find were the occasional lizard, and she wasn't going to eat one of those. They also happened to be too fast for her. Zena picked the flattest rock she could find, which was still pretty pointy on one side, and tried to lie down on it, seeking a bit of rest. On top of everything else, the sun was shining. Zena wasn't really one to outwardly complain, but she isn't the best at actually solving any of her problems, either.
[282] |
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Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2014 8:40 am
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 He had never been this far away from home. The Modidaeva rarely drifted away from his family and the home they had made for themselves in the canyons. It had started as simple exploration, following the lines of the canyon as it cut ever deeper into the earth. Having stayed so close to home, he had not been exposed to much of the world outside of the few miles of the canyon. He had never seen snow, the sea, the tundra, and other places, not to mention the beings who made their homes in such lands. He wanted to know more, his childish curiosity never truly sated. What was supposed to be a short trek could turn into a grand adventure, though it was not what he had expected. His family could live without him for a few more weeks. He knew the way home, he believed. He knew that, for now, he must have already travelled much farther than he had originally intended, for it was colder here, and the winds were much stronger than those around his home. Though he would never admit it, he was having a bit of trouble flying through them; he was so accustomed to the fairer gusts of his home that these harsh gales were proving themselves to be a menace. He knew he could either obstinately fight these winds and risk severe injury or silently concede and take to the skies once more when conditions had improved. Choosing the latter option, the charcoal male descended, landing surprisingly gently on the craggy floor. With an aggravated huff, he continued on foot. He had never been grounded since he had learned how to fly, and the limit on his freedom bothered him. At least his paws were used to this terrain, therefore walking was not as rough on his paw pads. Silver linings.
The same could not be said for the vixen who evidently struggled on this barren land; the discontent on her face did not escape his scrutiny, even from this distance. He could not help but be amused at her plight – though he was not completely callous as many of his kind were, even he could not be above aspects of his breed's nature – though she also intrigued him. He could see the subtle differences in her appearance: the wider mouth, the acerose teeth, and the green wispy here which seemed to move on its own accord much like the green flames he left in his wake. Curious, he approached, wings folded down by his side, massive tail swaying behind him. "You are not from around here," he concluded, though he was still far enough away from her that his words might have been lost in the wind, never reaching her ears. The thought did not cross his mind, however, as he moved closer, his trajectory curving to the side and around her, eyes examining her. His focus was not on her uncomfortable posture – her discomfort was something he took note of for future reference – rather to see if there was anything to her appearance that he had missed. The body alterations seemed to be confined to her head, and they were quite subtle, though still striking in their simplicity.
"You are different." Now he was close enough for her to hear him over the wind. The statement was flat, perhaps a little blunt, though he did not mean it as an insult of any kind. In fact, it was intended to be taken as a compliment, at least in Zagan's mind. She interested him, and he wanted to know about her. He had never seen anything like her, granted he had not seen much in life. To him, she must have some story. Everyone had a story, after all, though she must have a more interesting story than most. It did not occur to him that there was a chance that the vixen may have never encountered a Modidaeva before, an incredible, overbearing fox with huge, leathery wings and fire sprouting from their limbs where most foxes would have fur. They were certainly a formidable sight, frightening to most. He did not think that there was a chance that he could be a shocking sight to her, maybe interest her as much as she interested him. After fully circling her, he sat down before her, tail flicking the flames behind him. "What is your name?" Manners were another thing he was never taught, so he was blissfully unaware that it would have been polite to introduce himself first. Maybe he would learn someday.
Word Count — 762 |
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Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 9:46 am
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Sleeping was impossible under these circumstances. Zena actually found sleeping impossible under most circumstances, but she hadn't had to deal with that for a while now. She made attempts to sleep, closing her eyes only to have them open again a few short moments later. This was terrible. Did she regret her decision? Perhaps not her decision to leave home, but definitely her decision to walk in this specific direction. Zena had been so eager to get away, and frankly a little over-confident in her abilities, that she hastily chose to venture forth on a path that she knew nothing of.
Her eyes flickered open and closed again and again. At last, they opened onto the unexpected sight of a large, dark, winged creature. Zena jumped, startled, and backed away slightly from the other creature. Her brain very slowly processed what she was seeing. He was a 'Daeva. She had never seen one in real life before, but the fire was a tell-tale sign. She attempted to regain her composure; he was just another fox, after all, and Zena's mother had always stressed the importance of courtesy and manners when speaking to others. She stood up straight and tall, then bowed her head slightly in greeting.
Zena, in her haste to put space between herself and the newcomer, heard only his last question. "My name is Zena," she answered. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. May I ask your name?" Despite her pleasant tone, Zena's voice was clearly still a little shaky.
[253]
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