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Post by sera on Mar 26, 2006 10:59:53 GMT -5
Gisele blinked slightly, and her step faltered for the merest breath of a heartbeat. That even a mix should not know her gryvern heritage. . . There was no doubt she was at least half; Kalina looked entirely too gryvern to not be. But the Eastern felt someone had been remiss on behalf of the noctyier.
Zefiryn hrmmed thoughtfully, but she didn't know any antlered gryvern at all, and thus must not have made his acquaintance. "I'm looking for my brother," the grey Air announced dramatically. "To kill him."
Gisele made a distinct, disapproving noise.
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Post by Dawby on Mar 26, 2006 11:04:05 GMT -5
Kalina came to a sudden halt. "K-kill him?" she gasped. "But, but I thought you said he wasn't a jewel thief!"
She pawed her ears frantically. This was more than she was looking for. "I was right the first time," she wailed. "The bad guy must be a murderer."
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Post by sera on Mar 26, 2006 11:06:39 GMT -5
Gisele sent her comrade a dark look, pausing a few steps beyond Kalina as Zefiryn suddenly realized they weren't following her anymore. She kept a deadpan expression as she flicked her strange ears backwards. "How do you know we're not the bad guys?" she asked easily, a twinkle of mischief gleaming in her eye. Of course, Kalina might not realize that's wot was there.
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Post by Dawby on Mar 26, 2006 11:09:07 GMT -5
The younger female looked at her apprehensively. She hadn't considered that. "Um, well, you're detectives?" she ventured. "I think? And well, you know my dad. And you're a gryvern, like my dad. And my dad's kind are good. So, you must be good guys."
Well, it made sense to her.
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Post by sera on Mar 26, 2006 11:15:52 GMT -5
"We're not Detectives," Zefiryn informed Kalina firmly. "The closest thing a gryvern can be to a Detective is probably an Assassin."
Gisele sighed, realizing that at least part of Kalina's heritage training was going to begin now. She didn't think to mention their actual Caste, though. "Your father is very famous, Kalina," the Eastern informed the noctyier quietly. "It would be difficult to not have heard of him."
"And though we are gryvern, how do you know no gryvern has ever gone bad?" Zefiryn persisted. "Every species has its goods and bads, strengths and weaknesses. Just because you know a good being or several good beings, doesn't mean they're all good or all bad." She paused, tail swishing slightly. "Except, perhaps, for the Poisontails. I've never seen any evidence of a good Poisontail. Though I did meet a neutralish one once. And I think that was because she was too injured to try to kill me."
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Post by Dawby on Mar 28, 2006 16:53:48 GMT -5
"I've heard of him," Kalina muttered rebelliously, faintly stung at the assumption that she didn't realize what a respected father she had. She felt flushed and foolish. Of course no one species could be all good. Every sentient being had the ability to make free choices. She felt ridiculous for even saying such an inane statement aloud.
Her spiked tail twitched mutinously. "Well, are you bad guys?" she demanded.
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Post by sera on Mar 28, 2006 17:08:47 GMT -5
Gisele blinked at the question, a small smile quirking her muzzle as Zefiryn gave another shot of laughter. "If we were, would we admit it?" the grey female asked quietly, sending Kalina a significant look.
"Actually," Gisele spoke to her comrade. "I think you would."
The other Explorer paused to think about that before gaping a grin at her friend. "I do suppose you're right."
"In any case," the Eastern continued. "I don't believe we are bad guys, but you can never be too careful. Evil has many guises and some of them are pleasant to see." Green eyes moved past the mix to the woods beyond and her whole demeanour grew distant for a moment. "Very pleasant indeed."
Seriousness swept across Zefiryn and she moved to her friend, bumping the other gryvern with her shoulder. "But, that's all in the past." Gisele gave her a faint smile before agreeing with a nod. "So, now, we move onward!" The leggy Air swished her tail dramatically, then charged forward again.
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Post by Dawby on Mar 28, 2006 18:15:26 GMT -5
Kalina set her chin stubbornly. "Well, if you don't believe you're bad guys, then I don't believe you're bad guys."
There. Take that. Hey, wait a minute...
"So, wait, you were, what, kidding when you said you were looking for your brother to kill him?" she pieced together. "So why are you <i>really</i> looking for him?"
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Post by sera on Mar 29, 2006 4:11:38 GMT -5
Zefiryn gave another almost raucous laugh and Gisele shook her head at the other gryvern before answering in lieu of wotever craziness the grey might spout out this time. "Ryn hasn't seen her brother in nearly a year. She simply wishes to reaquaint herself with him." She paused, tilting her head at the younger female. "Wouldn't you wish the same?"
She knew if she had any surviving family she would want to know them. She stiffened again at the thought, but mentally shook it away. There was a chance she had a sibling somewhere. Perhaps. She could only hope so.
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Post by Dawby on Mar 29, 2006 13:13:52 GMT -5
Trotting quickly to keep up with the older females, Kalina thought about her own siblings, both sisters and both brothers. She wondered what it would be like to never see them and not know where to find them. The notion saddened her and made her miss them; miss her parents, too.
These two seemed to know her father, though. She held her tongue for what seemed like forever, chewing on the question she hesitated to spit out. Finally, she broke down.
"Do you know any stories about my father?" she asked shyly, turning her hopeful gaze on Gisele briefly before staring down at the tops of her paws.
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Post by sera on Apr 1, 2006 0:19:31 GMT -5
Gisele could only shake her head slightly, "All I know is wot has been passed to my by Ryn." Bright yellow eyes flicked back over a wing-marked shoulder. "Stories of Casimir, huh? Well, let'see. . .
"In a time of darkness and thirst, a time of death and need, a Warriour was born to ease the suffering of our people," Zefiryn's voice fell naturally into the sing-song of a storyteller, though she was no Historian herself. "He stood tall against the encroaching tide of evil upon our land. As all know, the gryvern were beset by their natural enemies, the Poisontail, and this menance threatened to overwhelm them yet again. Into the gap stepped a Warriour, a gryvern willing to die for his fellows and fight! Fight with everything he had! He and the others of his Caste swept foward against the vile plague that threatened them. When their Trainer fell to the hordes, the mighty Casimir took their head, rallying their forces from a route and leading them onward to victory, sweet victory! He saved his ranks and he saved his family. Thus began the legacy of Warriour Casimir."
Gisele gave a low howl to applaud the grey's performance, beaming at her comrade. She had done very well in the telling. . . at least. . the Eastern thought so.
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Post by Dawby on Apr 3, 2006 13:56:27 GMT -5
The little noctyier beamed, utterly enthralled. No one had a better dad than she did. Her step took on an extra bounce.
"What does a Poisontail look like, Zefiryn?" she asked, fascinated. "Have you ever fought one?"
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Post by sera on Apr 3, 2006 16:48:24 GMT -5
The grey continued walking easily, though, for a moment, the look on her face was hesitant. "Well," she answered slowly. "Poisontail tend to look different, very different. It's unusual for any but siblings to look the same and, even then, it's not that strange for a full-blooded brother and sister to look nothing alike at all."
Gisele nodded slowly, "The one thing they all have in common is a venom sac somewhere. It's usually in their tails, but even that isn't always true anymore."
"They also tend to have nasty looks on their faces," Zefiryn announced sharply. "It's a reflection of their true nature."
"May you never need deal with one," the Eastern said softly, green eyes sad.
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Post by Dawby on Apr 3, 2006 17:46:49 GMT -5
Kalina drooped a little in disappointment. How on earth would she recognize a poisontail if she ever saw one if they changed so drastically from individual to individual? Then there was the matter of the poison. Exactly how poisonous was poisontail poison? She could think of a few ways in which she didn't want to find that out.
The wandering path broadened as they walked, but past a thicket of sharp thorned bushes that pulled at the travelers' ears, it halted in a big round open area up against a tall pile of exposed granite. Two distinctly different paths bled off the original road.
"Which way?" Kalina wondered aloud.
The north path headed gently downhill, smooth and welcoming, disappearing in the distance amongst the trees and underbrush. The south path wound around behind the naked rock, hiding anything else from immediate view.
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Post by sera on Apr 3, 2006 18:53:22 GMT -5
Gisele thought she recognized the hybrird's thoughts, "Do not concern yourself, Kalina. There are no Poisontail here. The Portals keep them bound to the Home Reality."
Zefiryn lofted her head to glance from one direction to the next curiously. "I say we go south," she announced, and Gisele couldn't help a small laugh, unsurprised. She didn't really have an opinion, though, leaving the choice to Ryn and Kalina.
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