Author: drbuck, Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2020 11:21 PM, Post Subject: Two New Pets [P][R?]

Fenriz was relieved to find that it wasn't due to his own failings that he couldn't perform magic with their names, though this was compounded with a frustration that he was entirely incapable of doing so. While he had never been a fan of being a vampire, hearing what other races were capable of made him that much more resentful of his own race. But mixed in with all of these feelings was an underlying element of concern, as he was unsure of what the fey were capable of once they possessed someone’s name, and she definitely had his. But it was far too late to take that information back, so for the time being he had little choice but to put his trust in her, especially as the hunters began to gain distance on them.

Nerves already considerably frayed given the circumstances, the deer suddenly bursting from the bushes startled the poor boy to the that he fell over to the ground with a shout. Fortunately he managed to keep hold of Lyre this time, though the cat did make an attempt to flee once more. With little time to process much, he found himself once again being lifted into the air before being placed on the deer's back. Seemingly through will alone Ciara had manipulated the surrounding plants to provide a barricade between them and their pursuers, a process he would certainly have a lot of questions about in less dire circumstances. Besides, she was about to show off a much more interesting trick.

In a fashion not dissimilar to how he molded the shadows into shapes, his companion began to shift until in the fey's place was a snowy white owl. For a brief moment, his thoughts shifted to Azula, the owl familiar that his angelic friend carried with her. Still staring in awe, he reached out a hand intent to touch the owl, just to confirm that what he was witnessing wasn't some sort of trick of the eyes. Before his small palm could make contact however, the owl he could only presume was still Ciara, released a hoot, which triggered the deer to dart off in a direction. Managing to catch himself before being thrust asunder, he gripped Lyre with one and and used the other to keep a hold on the deer. Squeezing his eyes shut, he put his faith in the deer to carry him out of danger, and faith in Ciara to follow behind.

After what felt like hours to Fenriz, the deer came to a halt. Feeling comfortable with opening his eyes again, he was pretty quickly able to identify that they were in a cave, although he was much more capable of seeing through the darkness that permeated this cavern than the ruins in which they found themselves previously. Once more lowering himself from the back of his animal friend, a quick glance to the outside told him that morning was nearly upon them. Turning back to his blue haired friend, who had shifted back into her more humanoid form, he offered her a smile, thankful that she remembered his inability to be out during the daylight hours. He was curious as to her plan, as he did offer her the option to leave him behind once daylight broke, though he didn't have to wonder for long. She produced a blanket that she spread on the floor, joining the deer who laid out on top of it before offering him a place as well. With a wide yawn, he and Lyre joined them, with Fenriz taking a seat next to Ciara, back propped up by the deer and Lyre curled up comfortably in his lap.

"You're really nice, Miss Ciara. I owe you a lot of your help today" he smiled up at her, eyes half open as he slowly lost his bout with fatigue. "By the way, how did you…"

With the adrenaline of being chased having finally worn off, the boy started to drift away mid sentence, the weariness of all the walking he had done catching up to him. Try as he might to stave off sleep long enough to ask his question, it wasn't meant to be, head slumping to the side before sleep finally overtook him.

 

Author: Ciara, Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 2:17 PM, Post Subject: Two New Pets [P][R?]

"In a fey's hand, your name becomes a word of power. For anybody else it is just a name. That is why the fey never reveal their true names and simply use a substitution. As for the future, it is never as certain as one might expect. Try not to think of it as a determined path, rather it is a thousand streams all interconnected. While your future may be sailing down one stream, all it takes is a pebble or one small turn of the wind to be headed down another. But there are still likely streams that you will sail while there are other streams that are unlikely." Ciara clearly enjoyed answering the boy's questions.

It wasn't often that she got to talk about the future, magic, or any of that fun stuff. Most just asked her about her past or boring questions. Those weren't fun ones and didn't involve a fun answer. Magic was fun. The future was exciting. The past was not. That was why it was in the past. Ciara, as well, could smell the blood of the men in the distance. She knew that they would need to pick up the pace. An idea formed in her mind. Ciara gave out a small low whistle that sounded similar to a bird's call. As soon as the noise pierced the air, her deer friend sprang from the bushes. Once again, she attempted to pick up Fenriz and put him on the back of the deer. If that worked, she would turn to the forest around them and raise her hand towards it.

Suddenly the brambles, vines, and small flowers began to grow and create an interconnected web of plants. It would be difficult for the hunters to pass through it as easily. The plants were naturally strong and it would take a few good chops of the sword to let them pass. Turning back to Fenriz and the deer, she decided to perform one more magical deed. Her magic was slowly draining and she knew they wouldn't be able to keep this up forever. But she wouldn't be able to keep up with a fleeing deer. Her body began to morph and shift with a slight glow until she was no longer a human. Instead she was a beautiful white owl.

She gave out a hoot to her deer friend and the deer began to dart off away from the hunters and away from the danger with Ciara closely flying behind them. Her large eyes scanned the grassy ground for a sign of any threats or other issues. The deer was fast and nimble, its strong legs were able to almost glide across the field and eventually they were a long way from the old Adeluna Ruins. They were nearing another cave, though this was far smaller than the vast caverns they had found before. The deer stopped inside the cave and the white owl landed next to the two.

The owl morphed back into Ciara. The moon began to lower down in the sky and Ciara went further back into the cave. Pulling out a blanket, she and the deer found a comfortable corner of the cave. She placed the thick blanket on the cave floor then let out a small yawn. Her eyes were heavy and she knew that she had used too much magic that night. When she woke up again, she knew that a headache was in her future. The deer waited for Fenriz to get off its back and once he did, the deer would walk over to the blanket and laid on it. Ciara curled up next to the deer for warmth then looked over to Fenriz and beckoned him. 

"Come, you'll be cold if you sleep on your own. The blanket will protect you from the cold floor and sleeping in a group will keep us all warm." Ciara offered to Fenriz. 

Author: drbuck, Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2020 12:52 AM, Post Subject: Two New Pets [P][R?]

"Mushrooms…?" he mumbled to himself. Silently the boy watched as she picked flowers, partially curious as to what it was she was doing, but mostly confused as to what she had told him. Was he supposed to be the mushroom in this scenario? Or maybe the sapling? Much like last time the more he thought about it, he felt like he was on the right path to an answer, but never quite managed to connect the dots. Either way, her words did make him feel a bit better, even if it wasn't necessarily in the way that she had intended.

"Miss Ciara you're silly. I'm not a plant! Though I did meet someone who's sister was a plant person. I think she was called a Rosenite" As he reminisced about his past companion, the fae woman was crafting the flowers into a crown, the finished product of which she placed atop his snowy white hair. A bright smile stretched across his lips.

"You're right. Nobody could possibly say anything bad about someone wearing this. Thank you Miss Ciara!" the boy turned to his feline friend resting on his shoulders "Look Lyre I'm a king now! King of the forest! That means you guys have to listen to me now"

The cat reacted with a wide yawn, leaving the newly crowed king's authority in question. Either way he rewarded his subject with a pat on the head before turning back to Ciara. Any symbolic meaning the make of the crown was supposed to have was lost on the boy, but he appreciated the gift all the same. In addition to his "royalty", the crown granted him a sense of… comfort, though he couldn't quite explain why.

She had told him not to concern himself with the promise they had made, although he couldn't help but wonder what he could possibly assist her with. But, she seemed to have faith in his utility, a fact that helped  but some of his concerns to rest. 

"Are promises really all that magical? I've made a lot of promises before but nothing really happened" he questioned. Though the crown had provided a momentary distraction, he had several questions based on her magic that were still burning in his mind, begging for answers."For that matter nothing really seems magical about my name either…"

"Fen-Riz. Fen-Riz" he repeated his name several times with varying inflections, as if attempting to invoke some sort of spell. Upon achieving no results, he changed tactics "Ci-ar-a. Ci-ar-a"

Although it was the expected result, he still frowned when neither name produced any magical effect, though he was over it before long, remembering that he had more questions that needed answering.

"Can all the fae predict the future too? Oooh, can you tell me what my future is going to be?" He asked, eyes growing wide as he imagined the possibilities "I bet you already know, don't you? My parents always used to tell me I was going to be important when i grew up, but I always wondered what they meant. Maybe I really am a king! I'll have a giant castle to live in and everything!"

His childish musings didn't last long. A stray breeze carried a scent across his nose, a scent that caused his body to tense but sent the vampiric voice in his head into a frenzy. It was the unmistakable smell of blood, a scent he was all too familiar with. Strangely however the scent did not seem to be coming from the direction in were headed. So where was it originating from? Once more he tapped into his aura sight, brilliantly glowing eyes scanning their surroundings for anything out of the norm. Plain as day were Lyre and Ciara's aura, but turning back the way he came showed five more bodies trailing the three of them. Though they were still a considerable distance away, they were still close enough for him to catch the scent of the puncture wound he had left on one of them.

"Hey Miss Ciara" he said to her in a low voice "I think those guys are following us again. W-we should hurry…"

Author: Ciara, Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2020 9:27 PM, Post Subject: Two New Pets [P][R?]

A bond had been created between Lyre and Fenriz, a small bond but it was there and could grow to something powerful. Ciara had seen this and knew that if Fenriz chose to, he would have a great friend in the hearts of animals. The boy began to talk about the vampire hunters and doubtful worried questions began to pour from his mouth and Ciara listened to every single one of them, even the questions that remained unsaid. She looked at Fenriz and began to wonder what his future would hold. Perhaps packages of joy will find its way to his heart or sorrows will fly into his mind?

"You assume that you have no use?" Ciara gently asked with a small smile, "Try not to compare mushrooms to tree saplings, my dear. It would do the tree saplings injustice. I do have magic, as all fae do. My kind naturally can use magic but the ones we often already understand is nature magic. We also have different forms and use glamour more than any other creature. And my eye color change was an indication of the promise we made. For promises are magical, as are names. As for my songs, they are the forms in which my magic flows best. I also use cards and baubles to predict the future." 
The woman began to pluck the flowers along the path as they walked. She plucked only the golden sundrop flowers and the purple mallow blooms. As she picked the flowers, she began to weave them into a flower crown. The flower crown was regular and didn't have anything magical about it. Her quick hands wove ivy through the crown to make it sturdier. Once she was done, she turned to the boy and placed the flower crown on his head. 

"There. Now you cannot degrade somebody who has such a lovely crown." Ciara said. 

Her words were almost riddles but the metaphors she used had a purpose. She wanted to get the boy to think about the world in a deeper way than just looking at it through the normal way. Her descriptive metaphors were meant to get people to look at everything closer. Was the sun shining brightly? What did a tiny pebble look like? Where is the beauty and power in tiny items? Once they began on that path, they would be able to see the world's complicated mess.  Then there was the flower crown she had given him. It was meant to cheer him up but there was also a deeper purpose. She had used sundrop flowers and mallow blooms which were both symbolic representations of protection.

By weaving them together, she hoped that it would give him a tiny bit of protection against the foes he would face. It would seem that she was being kind….yet there was more to it. He had made a promise with her. A promise that was vague and could be interpreted many ways. One day he would be strong and grown, a formidable vampire. But she would have to ensure his survival until then. For now, he wasn't as strong as he could be. Ciara wouldn't be able to control him but she wanted to help him get to that point. Once he was strong enough….then she would ask for that help. 

"Don't worry about your promise for tonight." Ciara said gently, "I will ask for help one day but for now, lets focus on getting to our destination." 

Author: drbuck, Posted: Sun Mar 8, 2020 4:59 PM, Post Subject: Two New Pets [P][R?]

When the fae knelt next to him, the boy avoided eye contact as he was certain he was going to be scolded for his actions. She instead placed a dried fish in his hands, the unpleasant smell of which caused his nose to wrinkle.  At Ciara's instructions, Fen raised the fish in the air, standing on the very tip of his toes all the while making sure not to meet Lyre's eyes with his own. For as much has he found the scent unappealing, it seemed Lyre felt the opposite, eyeballing the prize in his hands. He opened his mouth to call to the cat once more, but Ciara explained that they needed to remain quiet. In their silence the cat removed itself from the tree before stealing the fish out of Fen's hand, an action which he couldn't help but giggle at.

"I promise I'll take really good care of you, Lyre" Fenriz said with a smile, holding his hand out as instructed "I promise I'll be your best friend!"

Seemingly appeased by his promise, or perhaps just by the meal he had provided, Lyre approached the boy with a purr. Pleased with the turn of events, he lifted the cat up, proudly showing it off to his new friend

"Look Miss Ciara, it worked! Lyre came back!" he said, beaming.

The boy released an audible sigh, relieved about her indifference about his race. Moreover, it was nice to know that he wouldn't have to recount the events of that night. Once more walking toward their destination, wherever that may be, She mentioned that the night waits for no one, a lesson he knew all too well. Looking toward the sky, an uneasy feeling filled is stomach as he  pondered how much longer it might be before the sun would make its presence known. Not to mention the hunters that were likely still after them. Even if his vampirism wasn't directly a concern for her, it was likely going to indirectly affect her for the duration of their time together.

"Thank you for taking care of those vampire hunters, by the way. But are you sure you it's okay to keep traveling with me? Those guys are probably gonna come back. They're gonna be pretty mad too because I took some of their… blood" Even though she already knew, it felt weird to say it aloud. He hated feeding, hated the idea of taking blood from another person, but most of all, he hated the fact that a part of him enjoyed every minute of it, at least in the moment. "We have to drink blood from other people sometimes, or else very bad things can happen. After that thing you did to those guys I guess… I just saw my chance. I hope that wasn't too mean…"

Whether or not she knew anything about his kind previously, Fenriz was intent on letting her know everything about vampires. Or at least, everything he knew about them. It only seemed fair, considering his company had already once proven a potential threat to her own health. Of course, when the hunters first showed up they were only after him, but after what she put them through they certainly wouldn't show the same qualms about attacking Ciara should they catch up to them again.

"We also can't be out in the sun. I've never seen what it does to us, but my parents said I should never ever go outside during the day" feeling his arms getting tired, he transferred Lyre to his shoulder, a perch the cat took with no complaints  "So if we don't make it to where we're going before that happens I'll have to find a place to hide for the day. But you don't have to wait for me if that happens… I don't want to slow you down. You've already helped me out so much already"

Between needing her help to get out of the ruins, and her dealing with the vampire hunters, Fenriz grimaced. He couldn't help but feel somewhat like a burden. Even still, the idea of being abandoned as soon as the sun came out wasn't exactly an appealing thought. Noticing he was falling behind the more he dwelt on it, however, he sprinted to regain distance, this time making his way in front of her, allowing him to look the fae in the face

"How did you do that to those guys, anyway? Do your songs have some sort of magic? I can use some magic too, you know. That's how I found you and Lyre!" he smiled proudly at his companion "I think it's because I'm a vampire. I can't do it a lot, or else I have to drink… more blood. Can the fae use magic too? Is that how you changed your eye color earlier?"

His question seemed to jog his own memories of the verbal contract that he had signed earlier. Tilting his head to the side, he grinned at the woman, he finishing his onslaught with one final question. "What could I help you with anyway, Miss Ciara? You're pretty amazing! I can't imagine anything I could do that you can't do already"

Author: Ciara, Posted: Fri Mar 6, 2020 7:02 PM, Post Subject: Two New Pets [P][R?]

Ciara quietly listened as the boy began to apologize for not telling her about his vampirism. Before the fae woman was able to respond, the boy tumbled forwards and the startled Lyre began to run off. Then the boy ran off. Ciara followed after him, carefully running to keep up. It was difficult to keep up with the boy due to his small nature but she finally managed to find him. The boy was staring up at a cat in the tree and begging it to return. Instead of getting angry, Ciara saw this as a unique opportunity. She reached into her satchel, putting away the flute and pulled out a dried tuna. Ciara knelt down next to the boy and placed the dried tuna in his hand.

"Animals work differently from plants." The fae woman explained in a smooth but sweet tone of voice, "Don't look the cat in the eyes. Look at his chest or somewhere else. Eye to eye contact is a challenge so avoid it when you are trying to use persuasion. Now hold the tuna up towards the tree, as high as you can so it can catch the scent."

She raised her own hand to show the way to do it. If the boy was going to travel with her, he would need to understand how to work with animals. This was only the basics as conversation with animals could take a long time to learn, especially when one didn't have a natural ability towards it. But she was willing to teach him the ways if he was willing to listen.

"It is Lyre's decision. We must not use words for a few moments, as our actions will say far more." Ciara explained before falling silent.

The black fluffy cat caught the scent of the dried fish and its stomach growled. But it wasn't until they both fell silent that the cat would decide to return. The cat returned, slowly climbing down the tree and dropped to the ground. The cat crept up towards Fenriz and swiftly snatched the tuna. Ciara smiled, pleased that the cat had decided to return and looked up towards Fenriz.

"Very good. You are doing quite well. Now here is the most important part." Ciara explained, "Fenriz, will you hold out your hand and promise to the cat that you will do your best to feed, care for, respect, and help Lyre as much as possible?"

This was the next step. Befriending animals was as much an arrangement as it was a feeling. At the beginning, it was wise to provide for the animal as much as the animal provided for you. It was a beneficial relationship that would set the foundations for a true bond. Or at least that was how Ciara viewed it but then again she was a very strange and different individual. Her view of the world would be called a distorted view by some. If the boy made his promise, then the cat would rub up against Fenriz's leg and begin purring. If the boy did not, then the cat would just sit there. Ciara pushed herself to her feet and looked towards the star-filled sky.

"Fenriz, the fact that you are a vampire is not a concern in my mind. And you do not owe me any information that you don’t wish to tell me.” Ciara said bluntly yet with a smile, “We must continue on our journey. The night waits for no one.” 

Author: drbuck, Posted: Tue Mar 3, 2020 12:30 AM, Post Subject: Two New Pets [P][R?]

Fenriz returned her smile with an innocent one of his own, enthusiastic that he wasn't going to have to traverse the mountain alone. If she was truly headed back to the Feeorin Forest he would certainly be tempted to put the "as long as you like" bit to the test, but for now he was content to have the guidance back to civilization. Plus Lyre had an official name! All in things seemed to be going Fenriz's way…

…At least for a moment. When she mentioned the eight of them, Fenriz tilted his head. Even including the cat he could only count three of them. But he didn't have to wonder for long who else Ciara was referring to. The moment they revealed themselves, Fen gasped. They didn't have to say a word for the boy to know exactly what they were after. Squeezing Lyre to his chest, who seemed relatively indifferent about the entire ordeal, the boy took a couple of steps back very clearly intent to flee. He opened his mouth in an attempt to warn Ciara to do the same, but one of them got their words out first.

Anger was a rare emotion for the boy, but something about being ousted as a vampire, a "dirty" vampire at that, channeled a more primal side inside him. Crimson eyes glowed with an intense hatred as they glared at his attackers. As they tended to, the shadows cast by the bright moonlight seemed to come alive, swaying anxiously as if waiting for the command to deal with the hunters… permanently. So distracted by the dark mood that had come over him, he hadn't noticed Ciara put her flute to her lips. It wasn't until the flute produced sound that Fenriz seemed to snap out of his furious trance.

Suddenly the men that threatened to end his life were dancing to Ciara's melody. It didn't take Fenriz long to put together that she was the cause. As his inner vampire subsided back into his mind, the child in him couldn't help but laugh at their strange, exaggerated movements. Though he didn't partake in the dancing himself, he would clap along himself, very clearly pleased with the way the situation had turned. Laughter slowly turned to concern as they were forced to move faster and faster, the anguish clearly written on their face behind the forced smile. Fortunately, they weren't forced to go on for much longer, collapsing to the ground the moment the tune came to an end. She reassured him that they would be okay, but watching the pitiful sight of them desperately trying to catch their breath, he couldn't help but feel bad. 

His mental, vampiric side however shared no such concerns. Instead, it saw opportunity. It pleaded with him to drain each and every one of them of every last possible drop of blood. They certainly would've killed him, were they provided with the opportunity, so why not return the favor? Not to mention they were the reason he was even in this situation, as well as the reason he hadn't fed in who knows how long. Glancing at Ciara revealed she had already started making her way forward, though of course thanks to these five she already knew what he was. Now was certainly his chance, although that window wouldn't be open for long.

Standing over one that had fallen on his back, he knelt over, pressing both of his tiny fangs into his neck. Ignoring the voice in his head that wanted to drain him entirely, he took just enough to quiet that very voice. It was still strange, feeding on still conscious victims. Made even stranger by the fact that he had an audience as he did it. All of them glared at him as he stood up, minus the one who he had drank from, the panic he felt apparent on his face. Without a word, the vampire turned and ran, little legs doing what they could to catch up to his companion.

When Fen had managed to catch up, he followed behind her silently for a few steps. He knew what he wanted to say, he just didn't really want to. After a few moments had passed, however, the guilt had become to unbearable

"Miss Ciara, I'm sorry I didn't tell you. About me being a… vampire" The boy didn't even dare look in her direction, instead looking down at the lazy cat in his arms, casually swishing it's tail back and forth, clearly having no stake in the situation "I don't know if you know a lot about vampires but people really don't seem to like us, because a lot of vampires do a lot of really bad things. But I'm not like the others, I promise! I don't really… kill people like they do. Well, except for-"

Not watching where he was walking, his foot met a raise in the ground, causing him to tumble forward, releasing Lyre from his arms in the process. Startled, the cat darted off in a random direction, quickly moving beyond where Fenriz was capable of seeing.

"Lyre, wait!" he shouted to no avail. Pulling himself up to his knees, he looked back at Ciara, sorrow and remorse written all over his face "Miss Ciara we have to go find him!"

Feeling responsible that he had lost the pet of the one who had just rescued him from his own attackers, he darted off in the direction he had last seen the cat fleeing, not even waiting for a response from Ciara. It wasn't long before he had come across the animal once more. It had made its way up a tree. Though not particularly high up, it was beyond Fenriz's reach.

"Lyre, come back, please" he pleaded "Otherwise Miss Ciara is gonna be upset…"

Author: Ciara, Posted: Sun Mar 1, 2020 12:23 PM, Post Subject: Two New Pets [P][R?]

The only time of day he got to see? It didn't take a genius to figure out what that meant. The boy was clearly a creature of the night, though whether that meant vampire or night elf was up to anyone's guess. Either way, she couldn't care less. Unlike humans, the fae considered anybody who wasn't fae below them. It wasn't a matter of who drank blood and who didn't to them. In fact, vampires were more similar to the fae than humans were in a way. Both knew how to suck the life out of others. She knelt down in front of the young boy and held a soft smile on her face. 

"I think Lyre is a good name." She said, "And you may follow me for as long as you like."

With that she stood up and placed her lyre back into her bag. Then she took a wooden flute out. It was night time, therefore it was the best time to play a flute. Magic, flutes, and night time went together like wine and cheese, perfection. But instead of playing music, she looked towards one of the moons. For a few moments, she closed her eyes then reopened them. 

"Now as to where I'm headed, I suppose Feeorin forest. But it will be hard to travel with the eight of us." She said looking at the sky. 

There was a rustle in the bushes, and a group of vampire hunters stepped out of the bushes. They had camped outside, just taking in the night and were waiting to see if any other vampires were out and about. But now they saw the boy that they had been hunting down in the first place. At first they had intended to stalk them from the shadows, but the lady had called out their presence. There were five men in total. And Ciara was counting the cat. However, the men weren't comfortable attacking the woman, as she looked very delicate and beautiful. 

"Lady get away from that kid. He's a dirty vampire!" One of them shouted. 

The men got closer to them but instead of panicking, Ciara held the flute up to her lips and she began to play a song. The fast melody flowing from her flute surrounded the men's ears and they slowly began to drop their weapons. Their eyes grew wide and a smile formed on their lips, as though they were both terrified and filled with joy. Her fingers flew from hole to hole on the flute, moving as fast as possible. The men began to clap to the beat and started to dance. Ciara had a hint of delight in her eyes as she watched the confused men dance to her tune. Soon, the melody sped up, getting faster and faster. The men began to dance faster and faster. They were dancing in heavy armors and leather so it didn't take them long before they were tired, but Ciara kept the melody going and they were forced to keep dancing. Ciara went faster with her tune and they were forced to dance faster as well. Finally, she ended her song and the men fell to the ground in pure exhaustion. Their faces were covered in sweat and every last one of them was gasping for air. 

"This is a non-lethal way of dealing with enemies." Ciara explained, "Now lets go, before they regain their energy. Though it might take them a few hours to do it, we'll need a head start. Worry not for their health, for I was careful to not push them too far." 

She beckoned the young boy to follow. Her eyes glanced up towards the stars. The stars would tell her how to get out of there. Ciara began to head north of the city and of the hunters. 

Author: drbuck, Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2020 11:09 PM, Post Subject: Two New Pets [P][R?]

Whenever Fenriz pictured the gods he imagined these larger than life, regal beings with impeccable composure. So picturing the a god being terrorized by something as comparatively trivial as a goose was an impossibly amusing visual to the boy, his only regret being that he wasn't able to see it himself.

Not only did he night mind being led away from the city, he preferred it. With all the trouble caused by his presence before, he couldn't imagine he was too welcome back there at the moment. A part of him couldn't help but wonder if she knew that. Either way, whether it was intentionally or inadvertent she was more than keeping to her end of the agreement in leading him somewhere safe. At least safer than the way he had come.

More confusing however was her explanation of where she lived. Was the implication that she was homeless? Or was it that her home moved? The more he thought about it, the more he occasionally felt like he was so close to the right answer, but nothing seemed to quite stick in a satisfactory manner. Either way, she had moved on from the subject, so he tucked it away for now, to ask for clarification if he remembered.

This was unlikely, however as the moment she mentioned the homeland of the fae his attention and imagination were captured by it. She had recommended that any visitors to the forest go with a fae friend, and his first inclination was naturally to ask Ciara herself, although he quickly thought better of it. Even the optimistic Fenriz had to admit it was a bit too soon to consider each other friends, although he certainly felt no ill will toward her. Besides, she was already helping him out so much even though he hadn't even attempted to hold up his end of the bargain. In fact, he didn't even know what his end was. So in uncharacteristic fashion, the boy shelved the idea. At least, for now.

Before he could say anything to her she started into another song. It wasn't long before he realized this tune was about the forest they had just spoken about. In some ways, it reminded him of the lullabies his own mother would sing. So much so that he found himself drifting off on a couple of moments during the song. Managing to stave off sleep enough to take in the lyrics made the Feeorin Forest sound like a mysteriously beautiful place for sure, but true to Ciara's word a dangerous one as well. The cautious side of him of course no longer wanted anything to do with it. But the childlike curiosity part of him felt drawn to it, and for a moment he wanted nothing more to see the forest in its splendor. Besides, it was a place he had yet to go to. Although unlikely, there was at least a chance that this is where his long lost parents were hiding, right?

As her song came to an end, so did the labyrinth they had been traversing. Fenriz hadn't thought about it previously, but he breathed a huge sigh of relief when the night sky had greeted them. Was it still the same night that blanketed him when he went in? He couldn't say. But regardless he was, for now at least, safe from the harmful rays of the sun


"Thank you Mister Deer" he said, patting it on his side.  "I have to like the night time. Its the only time of day I really get to see."

At first he smiled warmly, staring up at the sea of stars as well. Only moments afterward did he realize what he had said. It only just dawned on him that she had no idea of his "condition"

"A-anyway, thank you for getting me out of there, Miss Ciara" he said, hastily attempting to change the subject. "Where will you go now? Back to the Feeorin Forest, maybe?"

Taking in the surroundings for a moment he came to yet another realization. Despite being outside of the ruins, he still wasn't quite sure where he was.

"And do you mind if I… follow you?" he asked timidly. Although he probably could manage to find his way on his own Ciara seemed to have a stronger grasp of the area. It would no doubt be a bit faster to follow her. Plus a small part of him hoped that there was another song in the deal, somewhere "N-not all the way back to the forest, just until we get to somewhere I recognize. I've been walking around here a lot, lately, so it probably won't take that long. Plus, I still owe you a favor right? I wouldn't want to miss a chance to pay it back"

The boy tried to sell the benefits of his continued company as best he could. "I can even keep a hold of Lyre, here. That's what I named the cat, like the instrument you were playing right? Of course you want to name it, that's okay too…"

Author: Ciara, Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2020 2:09 PM, Post Subject: Two New Pets [P][R?]

Ciara smiled when she heard the laughter from Fenriz. Although her songs were random, she always enjoyed the more fun ones herself. Either something funny or something rowdy. Somber music was fascinating too but she had heard so much of it in Revaliir. It was always about death or about some tragedy which wasn't that fun. So Ciara often chose fun or exciting music to play instead. But having somebody appreciate the comedy in her works, that always caused a shiver of delight through her spine. It was one of the many reasons why she loved to play music.

"Yes I did." Ciara admitted, "I wrote it after hearing about a goose that was running rampant through the God of Wrath's home. I found it amusing so I made a song out of it."

The boy seemed to be getting tired. It seemed having him on the back of her deer friend was a good idea. He also seemed slightly concerned about the direction in which they were going. Yet Ciara looked around and didn't seem worried at all. The tunnels beneath the ruins were not as difficult as many made it out to be. And there was a small rhyme inside her mind that helped her figure out where to go.

"We are headed out of the tunnels." Ciara explained, "But its the opposite side of the city. I hope you don't mind. I have been here before and I suppose you could say this is where I live. But I live where I go. If I wasn't living, well I'd be very concerned. Therefore, I live everywhere I step."

Her words were twisting and wouldn't make sense to any normal listener. But if a person took the time to adjust their mindset, they might be able to understand the meaning tangled in the message pouring from her mouth. Ciara never spoke in simple terms, or if she did, her words might mean something else. It wasn't because she was trying to be clever but it was because she thought about things differently.

"As for the rest of my kind, they tend to choose their homes in the Feeorin Forest. I wouldn't recommend visiting unless you have a fae friend with you." Ciara warned, "Most fae are tricksters who would gladly take advantage of any wandering souls by themselves. Having a fae with might help with any traps or mischief that they would present. But the forest itself is marvelous."

She could describe the forest. Or she could sing about it…. She began to strum her lyre again as another song came to her mind.

"Oh forest oh forest oh forest of blue,
Tell me what is a lie and what is true,
Oh forest oh forest oh forest of blue,
A mysterious place with a beautiful hue,

Beware of the rings with white shrooms,
And our flowers have lovely blooms,
The trees weep for magic long gone,
The bright celebrations go until dawn,

Oh forest oh forest oh forest of blue,
Tell me what is a lie and what is true,
Oh forest oh forest oh forest of blue,
A mysterious place with a beautiful hue,

Don’t try the goddess’ precious drink,
You’ll be dead before you can blink,
The crystal lake holds a city of sirens,
Great firebirds fly along the horizon,

Oh forest oh forest oh forest of blue,
Tell me what is a lie and what is true,
Oh forest oh forest oh forest of blue,
A mysterious place with a beautiful hue,

Come visit our city for danger and fun,
See how the party has just begun,
The forest of delight and mystery,
But don’t fall to the fae trickery."

The song was more calm and beautiful sounding, like a soft lullaby a mother would sing before the child sleeps. She never raised her voice and kept a steady pace. Her lyre matched the theme of the song perfectly, as it was made with a harp or a stringed instrument in mind. Ciara had still been walking and as she ended the song, she took one last turn. As they turned around the corner, she noticed that the sun had set a long time ago. Instead of the sun, the two moons were rising into the sky. Thousands of stars dotted across the sky and crickets were out an about. Shadows reigned throughout the grassy area.

"Ah! We are here already!" Ciara said with a smile, "Oh look at those beautiful moons. And those stars! I must admit the night gives me just as much joy as the day. Most can barely stand the night but I adore it." 

Author: drbuck, Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2020 11:12 PM, Post Subject: Two New Pets [P][R?]

When their hands met, a change came over Ciara's face. The change in eye color was brief, but the stark difference between the two colors was hard not to notice. Fenriz opened his mouth in order to question how she did it, but before he could get the words out she had moved on to her next trick. Seemingly summoning a light from thin air, she then morphed it into the shape of a deer. While this in itself was impressive to the boy, when light faded, the deer did not, as if it had been there the entire time. In a way it reminded him of his own abilities, but unlike the deer, the things he summoned from the shadows retained their shadowy look. Was it possible to turn them into the real thing?

Once more he went to speak his mind, and once more he was interrupted. Ciara spoke to the deer, and although it did not speak back. This was just as well, as that might have been a bit too much excitement for his young heart to handle. Before he knew it, he was being lifted onto the deer, followed by the cat he had mentioned earlier. With a smile he pet the feline, and would continue to do so absentmindedly as they pressed onward. As was the logical conclusion the cat belonged to Ciara, although he couldn't help but wonder what she meant when she said it was "currently" hers. In addition to that, she hadn't even named it? The best conclusion he could draw was that she planned on giving it away to someone else, a thought that made Fenriz feel a twinge of sorrow for the poor thing. He decided that at the very least, by the time their journey was over he would have a name for it.

Ordinarily when he met a new person, this would be the time that the chatty Fenriz would come out, and he would make his best attempt to absorb all the knowledge that this person was willing to divulge. There was, however, very little that was ordinary about this meeting, a fact that was becoming more and more apparent to Fenriz. In unusual fashion his new companion produced an instrument and began to strum away as they marched along. So for the first time, instead of talking his new friend's ear off, he opened his.

It was fortunate that Ciara at least seemed to be aware of where they were headed, as the boy was too enraptured by the song to pay attention himself. At various intervals, a childish giggle would escape the boys lips, finding a particular line or phrase humorous. It wasn't long before he had fallen into full blown laughter.

"What a troublesome sounding bird, Miss Ciara" he said to her as soon as the opportunity presented itself, grinning all the while "Did you write that yourself? Was it about a real goose?"

The comical song provided a much needed distraction from the predicament they were in. Yet, when it was over, it brought Fenriz's mind creeping back to reality. Here they were, still in this seemingly never ending maze. Gazing around only revealed the same surroundings as however many feet back, all of it blanketed by that same harsh darkness that his eyes still struggled to see through.

"Miss Ciara, where are we headed, anyway?" he questioned before releasing an audible yawn. Taking care not to disrupt the dozing cat in his lap, he'd stretch his shoulders before continuing to speak "You really seem to know your way around here. Have you been here before? Is this where you live? Is there where the fae live?"

Author: Ciara, Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2020 12:52 PM, Post Subject: Two New Pets [P][R?]

The second that the young boy shook her hand, her eyes turned from grey to a bright colorful shade of violet. It only lasted for a few seconds but it showed that the contract was sealed and the promise was made. Both sides would be held to their ends of the bargain, regardless of situation or their desires. With a soft smile, Ciara turned away from Fenriz and held up her left hand. A magical light swirled around her hand before landing on the ground and molding itself into the shape of a deer. Then the deer was there, no longer just a shape. It was not made out of light, rather it had been summoned by her magic. The deer was large and had two pairs of massive antlers upon its head.

"Hello dear friend." She called out to the deer, "We have a guest who needs to be escorted out of here and taken somewhere safe."

The deer looked towards Fenriz then bowed to Ciara, as if it was agreeing to her wish. Turning back to the boy, she heard him ask about the cat.

"It currently belongs to me." Ciara explained, "I haven't come up with a name for her yet. Maybe I'll figure it out later. Anyways! We have a journey to get to!"

With that, she reached over to the boy and attempted to lift him and place him onto the deer's back. If this worked, she would also pick up the cat and put it on the boy's lap. The cat was too lazy to object anyway. Ciara reached into her satchel and pulled out a beautiful golden lyre. The lyre had images etched into the base that displayed grape covered vines. The etchings stretched over the lyre, making it seem as though it was wrapped in a vine. Her right hand began plucking at the strings as she began to walk up the tunnel. The music was light and joyful, full of excitement. Her hands moved fast and didn't waste any time. One string was plucked, Then two then three then one again. There wasn't time for a break, otherwise the song would lose its tune. The deer followed behind her, not bothered by the dark surroundings and instead focused entirely on her music.

"A gift was given to the wrathful one,
A goose that could annoy any,
The gift would be no fun,
Instead it irritates many.
A geese a goose a geese a goose,
Who let it loose?
A geese a goose,
A geese a goose a geese a goose,
who let it loose?
A geese A goose.
Somebody let the bird out of the cage.
It ran a muck and destroyed some stuff.
The great god was consumed by his rage.
But catching the creature was very tough."

As she sang she kept an eye on where they were going. Ciara went to the left, right, right, then left tunnels. It was as though she had been down there a hundred times. Everything was familiar. Her singing voice was beautiful but had a playfulness about it. She never was too serious and kept a tone that would ensure laughter. Even the steps she took was to the rhythm of the song. 

"A geese a goose a geese a goose,
Who let it loose?
A geese a goose,
A geese a goose a geese a goose,
Who let it loose?
A geese A goose.
If you are to visit the great palace,
You will surely see a great sight,
A bird with no lack of callous,
Being chased by a god with might.
A geese a goose a geese a goose,
Who let it loose?
A geese a goose,
A geese a goose a geese a goose,
Who let it loose?
A geese A goose." 

Author: drbuck, Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2020 6:55 PM, Post Subject: Two New Pets [P][R?]

Perhaps set at ease by the tone in which see spoke, perhaps driven by an insatiable curiosity, he accepted her invitation to move closer, taking a few cautious yet intrigued steps toward her Ciara. Although he listened to her words with rapt attention, he would be lying if he said he entirely understood what he was being told. But they passion in which she told him made it impossible for him to look away. Naturally when she finished, Fenriz had nothing but questions filling his head. A spell that would  let him communicate with plants? He could only imagine what they might have to say. Not to mentioned they had to be at least slightly less threatening. He was reminded of Lirin, or specifically her sister. She was a plant-like person from what he had been told. Did they have to use a spell so they could talk? Before he could voice a single question, hoewver, his new acquaintance stood and further closed the distance between the two.This caused the vampire to take a step back, unsure of what was about to occur.

She towered over him, forcing him to crane his head back a bit in order to look her in the eyes. She extended a hand before she spoke, claiming that she was capable of leading him out of the ruins. Although this wasn't quite as enticing as being lead to safety by a talking plant, it was none the less an enticing offer. And all he had to do in return was help her? That was easy enough. With a smile he went to shake her hand, but as he extended his, she retracted her own, causing him to pause.

"A fae? Is that what you are?" he said, head cocked to the side. The boy had either heard of, or directly met a wide variety of different races, however he couldn't recall the fae being among them. Just based on what he could observe she didn't appear any different than your average person. She certainly wasn't like him, either. He was fairly good at sensing his own kind by this point. 

Distracted by his own musings about her race, it's possible that the entire gravitas of Ciara's warning had flown over his head. Even if it hadn't, however, Fenriz felt confident in the pact they were on the verge of making. It wasn't something he got to do frequently, but he enjoyed helping others whenever the opportunity presented itself.

"You don't have to worry about me, Miss Ciara" he explained, beaming "I'm great at keeping promises. I'm not a fae, but I always uphold my end of any agreements that I make. Like I promised my friend Miss Raziel that I would never tell anyone she's-"

He interrupted his tangent abruptly, only barely preventing himself from breaking that very promise. With a sheepish smile he resumed "Well, I can't really tell you, I'm sorry. But if it's my help you want, all you have to do is ask. I'm very good at helping people!"

With a huge smile he offered his hand once more, a gesture to seal the deal officially. Without the slightest inclination of what Ciara might ask of him, he was ready to throw himself into this commitment. This was, of course the nature of a naive young boy who sought to prove himself an ally to as many as he could. 

"By the way" he asked, hand still outstretched "Is that your cat?"

Author: Ciara, Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2020 2:06 PM, Post Subject: Two New Pets [P][R?]

"Plants can speak but not in the way that humans or animals do." Ciara answered in a sickly sweet voice, "Hello. You may call me Ciara."

She looked towards him and beckoned him to come closer. He could easily be one of her pursuers or something else. Yet it seemed that Ciara didn't care either way. He could be a ghost, a monster, or somebody trying to kill her but she would still treat them the same. It wasn't a matter of fairness, Ciara just was strange. Passion ran through her eyes as she began describing what it was like to talk to plants.

"You see only nature inclined species or a spell can help you talk to plants. A spell or natural abilities helps you show your intentions to the plant." She explained, "You can say anything you want but its only your intention that the plant will hear. Plants are not like people or animals. They are beings focused on survival, unless they are blessed with a free mind. Otherwise they are consistent. They can understand but they do not feel or exist in the same way that animals and people do. That doesn't make them any lesser, mind you. It just makes them different."

Ciara stood up and walked towards the young boy, not realizing that she might be scaring him. But instead of attacking, she held out her hand towards the young boy. Her hand was as pale as the moon, like the rest of her skin. Her nails were long and clean, as though they had never known dirt. Ciara was wearing a light blue gown that stopped at her ankles. Instead of wearing shoes, her feet were bare.

"I can show you the way out of here and help you get to a safe place." She offered, "But I will want something in return. Don't worry. All I want is for you to make a promise. A promise that one day, when I call for it, you'll help me in the future."

Before he could say anything, she pulled her hand back, out of his reach.

"Do not take on this promise lightly." She warned, "A promise with a fae is as strong as a contract. Break it, and there will be consequences. But that means I cannot break it either. If a fae makes a deal, they are made to hold up their end of the bargain. Do you understand?"

Every word that fell from her lips was the truth, as the fae couldn't lie. She had a soft smile but her eyes showed that she was serious. It did not bother her that this was a child. Age meant little when compared to the fae. But since he was younger, she was giving him more information than other fae would. Most fae would not have told the young boy about what it meant to make a promise. In comparison to the rest of her species, she was being upfront about the deal. 

Author: drbuck, Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2020 2:52 PM, Post Subject: Two New Pets [P][R?]

Fenriz wasn't much for exploring the unknown. And unlike others of his kind, he wasn't much for darker places. So one of course if one were to see him in these caverns they would be naturally inclined to ask why he was there. And were he not busy fleeing, he would tell you that he wasn't there by choice.

The relatively nearby city of Adeluna, in particular the infamous Winking Mermaid, had proven somewhat useful to Fenriz, in the same way that most cities tended to. A large population of loose lips could provide a wealth of information to those who knew how to listen, and listening was a bit of a specialty for the boy. He had heard whispers, murmurs, and rumors of a whole new land, one that he had yet to visit. Having scoured much of Canelux for his still missing parents, and still turning up empty handed, this new land provided a bit hope for what was increasingly starting to feel like a hopeless quest.

Setting out to the docks in order to find a boat that was headed to this new land of opportunity. What he found instead were members of the same crew that had brought him here in the first place, a seedy crew that had not brought him over of their own will. There was no question as to whether or not they were still upset about this unwanted stowaway, as on sight one crew member alerted the others, and it wasn't long before they were all on high alert searching for the boy. There was, of course, a small problem. With the extended trip, Fen needed to feed in order to keep his vampire side at bay, and it wasn't long before they had learned just what had snuck aboard their vessel. They knew he was a vampire, and much like many, they weren't too happy about it. Fenriz would weave through the city, the ability to meld into shadows, functionally turning himself invisible to the plain pirates' eyes. But of course, the commotion of sailors chasing an alleged vampire quickly spread through the city, and it wasn't long before more seasoned vampire hunters got wind of the situation. Long after the pirates had decided the chase wasn't worth it, these hunters would press on, determined to catch their quarry at all costs.

Fen had managed to flee the city, and for a few days even managed to stay ahead of his would be murders. But they, of course had a couple of sizable advantages over him. One being in number, allowing them to cover much more ground. But more so than that, their biggest advantage was the ability to travel during both day and night, while Fenriz was limited to travel by the latter. It didn't take long for the hunters to close the distance, finally tracking him down in the mountains. Running low on options, the boy sought anything that he could use to get away, narrowly discovering the otherwise unassuming entrance to the ruins. The decision to enter was not one taken without trepidation, inside could lie any number of threats and dangers. But he knew what waited for him out here, and he knew it wasn't good. He plunged into the ruins, running as fast as his short legs would allow. Although he wouldn't notice until much farther in, the hunters were either unable or unwilling to follow him. Perhaps they figured there was no point, assuming that once deep enough he wasn't coming back. Perhaps the hazards that the ruins hid were far worse in their eyes than any potential menace the small vampire posed. Whatever the reason, their pursuit ended there, as Fenriz went deeper inside.

Eventually his frantic sprint slowed into a cautious walk. Panic slowly gave way to a more consuming dread as he gained a better understand, or lack of there of, of his surroundings. The first thing he noticed was how oppressively dark it was in here. Even for his glowing crimson eyes, eyes that ordinarily had no trouble in low light situations, could hardly see more than a few feet in front of him, a realization that did little to calm his already frayed nerves. Stopping for a moment, he closed his eyes, he closed his eyes, doing his best to drown out all other distractions. When they reopened, they shone much brighter than before, almost as if they were now luminescent enough to light the entire ruins on their own. Of the many powers that at awakened in his time spent on Canelux, the ability to sense auras was one he did not like to rely on much, as it was particularly taxing on his already exhausted body. Yet, feeling he had few other options available to him, he pressed on, his eyes revealing two entities not much further from his position.

Approaching quietly from behind a wall, he peered around the corner, surveying the two entities his enhanced sight had alerted them to. The smaller of the two was merely a cat, curled up and appearing about as harmless as a cat normally might. Although he thought this a strange place for such an animal, he payed it little heed compared to the other aura he had picked up. Seemingly traveling with the cat was a woman, who's hair an odd color he had never seen on a person before. But more odd than her hair, was the fact that she seemed to be talking to… a mushroom? She asked a question of it, and seemed to be genuine in expecting a response.

Ordinarily Fenriz was extremely cautious of newcomers. But the fact that she seemed so sure that the cave plant was going to speak to her caused his curiosity to override his suspicion. With eyes returning to their normal radiance, he approached this mysterious individual.

"Excuse me miss" he spoke, taking a stand right next to her. He tilted his head at the mushroom, perhaps expecting to notice something up close that he hadn't seen from afar before turning to face this new person "Do the mushrooms in here really talk? Usually its only people that can speak, right? Do you think maybe he knows the way out?"

"Oh, my name's Fenriz, by the way. People usually call me Fen" he introduced himself, with hand extended and a smile on his lips. "Mr. Mushroom can call me Fen, too"

Author: Ciara, Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2020 11:11 PM, Post Subject: Two New Pets [P][R?]

For some reason, a couple of nobles were angry at her. She realized this when she was being hunted down by the nobles' men. In her daring escape, she used an invisibility spell to sneak up to the noble's room. Then she stole their cat. The cat was too cute and had enough fluffy fur to create a tiny scarf. Unfortunately the cat was a dead giveaway to her location. Ciara was chased through the city and managed to lose them while getting lost in a series of alleyways and neighborhoods. She finally escaped from the city and ran off towards the ruins. She knew that they would never think to look for her there. They would be wondering all around the main town. The ruins were slightly dangerous and they were lacking in wine or any alcohol. 

None of this was her fault. It was not her fault that she poured a love potion into the noble's drink instead of pouring it into the drink meant for his lady love. It was not her fault that after drinking, the first thing he saw after drinking was a donkey. Actually…it WAS her fault. And every moment of it was entertaining, though she felt pity for the poor donkey. The family of the noble immediately blamed everything on her and didn't pay her for the free potion. So she stole their cat. And some of their alcohol. And a few jewels. And a few weapons. For some reason, they were made even more angry by this. 

Now she was out in the ruins. On her own. With a cat. The cat was still asleep somehow. Ciara lifted the cat up to inspect it closer. The cat was fluffy and as black as coal. It had dazzling blue eyes and the cutest meow. She would shave it later. Once she had all of its fur, she would find a way to spin it then make a tiny scarf out of it. Once she had the scarf, she would give it to a mouse. It was ironic in that way. She lifted the lazy cat and placed it on her shoulder. The cat was heavy but Ciara didn't mind. She kept walking through the ruins, looking for a place to rest. 

There was a lovely looking cave, one that she had never noticed before. It was small and barely could count as a cave. Ciara sat down in front of the small cave and placed the cat on the ground. The black cat curled up and began to rest. Meanwhile, Ciara touched the ground. She could feel the plants all around. Their magic was strong in the ruins, powerful enough to destroy multiple enemies. But that isn't what she was here to do. Instead she turned to a mushroom, it was a beautiful mushroom but she knew that its roots ran far underground. 

"Excuse me Mr. Mushroom." She said gently to the plant, "Do you know of any animals that I can eat nearby?" 

She waited patiently for the plant's response.