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Post by sera on Aug 8, 2006 2:28:36 GMT -5
"Oh, that," Natalya knew wot he was speaking off. "Some of the Caste's cut their membranes so there is a pattern or design. A long time ago it was believed that it would help imbue them with the nature of the design. Since then, however, it is traditional and generally is a requirement to make the final full step into their Caste." She paused to think about it. It didn't seem that odd to her, but she had grown up with it. How strange to think that her culture would be considered weird by others!
"In our case, it is a matter of pride within your Caste." A smile touched her features. "If I had been born for such a Caste, I know I would have been proud. As is, I don't even have the feature of my Caste, but it is because I don't need it."
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Post by Thalron on Aug 8, 2006 2:38:41 GMT -5
He listened to her intently, almost forgetting to watch where he was walking in the process, but managing to avoid a root that tried to trip him. "That makes sense..." He looked down at his shoulder, where the number 4 was displayed for all to see. "I guess my kind does something similar... When I reached adulthood my markings surfaced on their own, even the brand." He said and then hesitantly touched the dark black number...
He quickly switched back to talking about the gryvern though, that was more pleasant. "What feature is common of your caste? I hope you don't mind the questions, It's just interesting to see the differences, and similarities we have." Hmm... Well, he could probably stand an earring or two, that might look good, he thought about it while on the subject.
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Post by sera on Aug 8, 2006 2:43:24 GMT -5
Her dark eyes moved down to his markings when he looked, but he seemed very averse to talking about it, so she let the topic slip back to her. "Healers and Mages will have a gem somewhere. Either on a chain or even embedded into them, if they so desire. Mages will usually choose for that option." She gave a small wince at the idea before continuing. "We use the stone to help focus our abilities. But I was born with these," the feathers twitched upwards before settling back to their usual position. "And they focus my abilities far more than a stone ever could. So I never received one." She doesn't seem overly concerned by this fact.
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Post by Thalron on Aug 8, 2006 2:54:14 GMT -5
Geil thought about that idea for a moment, having a rock stuck into your flesh to enhance your abilities... He'd rather have it on a chain. "If I had a gem embedded in me... It probably would have been ripped out by another tsume by now." He said that with a chuckle, sure it wasn't the funniest thing to say but sadly true. "You should have asked for one, I think you'd look good with a necklace... Hmm... Maybe a teal, or red one." He said in a contemplative tone, examining her for a moment as he thought about it. His voice was somewhat sarcastic but it seemed he was atleast partially serious.
Up ahead there was a greener strip of grass, and some more trees clustered together, along with the boulders it looked like the stream was not too far away. He had thought it was farther out but hadn't been paying too much attention to it, he had been far more interested in meeting someone than exploring.
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Post by sera on Aug 8, 2006 7:13:07 GMT -5
Natalya flushed again. "Well, thank you." She smiled shyly over at him. "I still don't need one, but sometimes I think it would be nice to have one, even just to have it." She shook her head slightly. "But it's all vanity." She didn't seem to catch most of the sarcasm; perhaps she was just ignoring it or perhaps she was preoccupied by other thoughts.
Her ears flicked forward briefly as she glanced across the horizon, her nose flared as she scented the water ahead. She couldn't help the little spring in her step as they began to draw closer.
------
The silvery-grey form had his head up, sniffing and checking the area. He was growing thirsty and thought it might soon be time to find somewhere to get something to drink.
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Post by Thalron on Aug 8, 2006 13:40:35 GMT -5
He couldn't help but smile again at her shyness, shaking his head slightly. "Theres nothing wrong with looking good, I think." He said with a small laugh then looked at her "Not that you need any help with that." his didn't appear to have any sarcasm in it with that last comment, and he flashed her a toothy grin before looking back at the area where the river lay.
Then he picked up the pace a little bit and looked back at her teasingly, he didn't say anything but it was obvious he was seeing if she wanted to race there, just from the look in his eyes.
He did have such pretty eyes... They displayed his emotions almost perfectly on their own, so soft and enthralling... It never felt like he was staring, but gazing softly back into here eyes whenever their gazes connected.
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Post by sera on Aug 8, 2006 19:17:03 GMT -5
Natalya gave a small laugh, shaking her head as her blush deepened slightly. But there was water nearby and it was distracting, just slightly more than Geil's gaze. She gave a small shake of her head, then smiled at the tsume, obviously more than happy to race. Here was the one thing that could cause almost any gryvern to act like a hatchling again. . . the chance to play in water.
"Ready," she called out, willing to take charge for this. "set. . . . Go!" And she was off, long legs moving in an easy blur. She wasn't the fastest of gryvern, but her whole body moved with the run, spine flexing up and down to give her an undulating motion, much like a cheetah. Her ears were back iwth the joy of running to water, and she gave a low laugh, that trailed behind her.
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Post by Thalron on Aug 8, 2006 20:46:47 GMT -5
Geil grinned when she laughed, then when she said ready his muscles tensed, set... go... He ran almost before she finished saying it, but he wasn't as fast as she was... Or maybe just didn't have the proper motivation to win. Either way he managed to keep a fast enough pace to atleast be a few feet behind her rather than being left in the dust by the time they reached the river.
"You're..." he paused to catch his breath a little bit then continued "Pretty... fast..." he finally managed to say, shaking his head to cool off his head a bit... Of course there was water right there but he was going to wait for her to jump in first.
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Post by sera on Aug 8, 2006 20:51:43 GMT -5
Natalya didn't wait for an invitiation; she leapt right in into the river, pleased to discover that she had to paddle to stay afloat in the middleShe took a moment to commune with the water, ducking her head under the tops of the waves created by her own splash in. For several long moments she seemed oblivious to Geil, then, suddenly, she seemed content and turned to him with a wide smile.
"Thank you," she replied. "You did quite well yourself. Do tsume often race?" she paddled around in the river, tail drifting behind her with the feather spread like a large frond.
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Post by Thalron on Aug 8, 2006 20:58:58 GMT -5
It was amusing how pleased she was to get into the water, it must be rare or something wherever she lived he assumed, or maybe she just really liked the water... "Race? Depends on the tsume... But I swim more than run." He said then leapt into the water infront of her, completely submerging and managing to swim underneath her and pop up on the other side...
The longer hair on his head drooped down in now much straighter lengths over his eyes and around his ears, until he cleared his vision of them.
He looked so beautiful glistening in the water like that....[/i]
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Post by sera on Aug 8, 2006 21:12:15 GMT -5
Natalya watched him as he disappeared then turned to watch him pop up on the other side. Her dark eyes regarded the tsume seriously and she simply stared at him for a very long time, trying to place all of these strange thoughts that kept popping up into her head. So she tried to be objective now.
She didn't condemn those of her kind who outbred, but she had never really considered it herself; she was willing to do her duty if needed, but she had an, understandable she thought, preference for her own kind. But now she seemed constantly distracted by this tsume. Even with thoughts of Rastko in her mind. And that was wot truly baffled her.
Glein -was- beautiful in his own, rather alien way. She couldn't help but admire his strange coat and those odd markings that wove up his leg. His touches of black were striking and she did enjoy his company, but why was she just so preoccupied with him? Perhaps this was wot the humans meant by 'wild oats.'
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Post by Thalron on Aug 8, 2006 21:52:57 GMT -5
Geil looked at her, then tilted his head smiling alittle before he blew a small spray of water out his nostrils, and swimming up to her. then he reached out and brushed his hand against her muzzle, bringing it across her face and over her ear gently... It felt so nice... She could hardly imagine how good it would feel to be even closer to him... And who would know anyways?[/b]
"Feeling any better?" he asked silkily, his words flowing together smoothly as he withdrew his hand slowly. He knew he was feeling better atleast, although he was beginning to wonder if he would end up with a sunburn later... He had been out of the shade for awhile, but maybe she had repaired the beginning of that earlier.
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Post by sera on Aug 8, 2006 22:01:18 GMT -5
Natalya felt her hide shudder; not from revulsion, but because the soft touch glided over her. "I love being in the water," she replied quietly, still uncertain of herself. He didn't seem to be aware of her reaction to him, and that made her feel even more self-conscious about it. Her ears flicked back uneasily, unaware that she hadn't really answered his question.
Her healing earlier would coveronly that which she had purposefully healed. Unaware that he was beginning to develop a sunburn, she wouldn't have fixed it.
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Post by Thalron on Aug 8, 2006 22:35:00 GMT -5
He looked deep into her eyes and... It was obvious he was feeling the same way, and maybe he had been subtley trying to find out about how she was feeling. "Umm... me too." He mumbled out shyly then glanced around a little bit. His own ears went back a little bit, but he was still a bit more confident in pretty much whatever he was doing than her...
The true reason was that it was more or less an act, he did really love her but knew that it would only last until they parted. He wasn't going to take someone permanently, or atleast he wouldn't take just One.
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Post by sera on Aug 8, 2006 23:00:57 GMT -5
Natalya started to speak, then stopped, then started again, but finally just stopped, her only movement the slow paddling of her feet to stay afloat. It seemed as though time stood still, and they were alone in a vast sea of unspoken tension. She had never felt this before, at least not to this level. There had been some tension like this between her and Rastko, but it had not reached this level.
"It seems. . . strange," her voice was a whisper of sound. "Being like this with you." Her eyes were frank and wide, showing her unease blatantly, and she knew he had to be picking up on it either way. He said he was a sort of empath and she had never been good at closing down her emotions except for when she was Healing. She could face anything, handle anything whilst she Healed, but without a wound she felt as a speck of sand swept up in a duststorm across the great plains.
Her eyes slid away from him as she tried to get a handle on herself. "It seems as though something is happening beyond my control and I don't understand it." And it made her nervous, as though her inner alarms had come back with a venegance.
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