[. So far away from home. .] [. Closed .]

[theeraven]

[. Private for Tamasca. .]



Daetien found himself wandering about that morning with too much on his seemingly always overumcumbered mind. With each and every pawstep he drew further and further away from his homeland of Selkie Lakes. As he moved onward the clouds began to roll in, dark and threatening. Daetien gazed up at the sky briefly as he placed another paw forward. "...great." He said to himself. All he needed was to find himself wandering in a land unknown in the middle of a torrential downpour. The clouds above drew closer and grew more and more dark as Daetien finally crossed over the boundaries on the outskirts of the city. His thoughts were with his past, moreso his growing up, and of his brother Kaedin. A soft sigh pressed on his lips and for a moment he paused, looking up into the sky, questiong both it and himself.

Upon first glance from anyone that might have seen Daetien just sitting there, head in the clouds so to speak, his expression would have been that of melancholy and discontent. The large white and tuquoise lips were drawn back in a sort of downhearted half-snarl, just pulled back enough to reveal a twin set of incisors accompanied by overly large canines. Such a gaze was highly uncharacteristic of Daetien who normally wore a cheerful smirk but in his mind he was lost and wondering as he found himself doing now. Rising to all four paws he once more moved off, tail hanging limply behind him as if it might never wag again. Every now and again he would find himself gazing upward as the clouds threatened his travels with their dark and grave expressions.

The soft rolling of his shoulderblades accompanied the silent pawsteps that carried him ever further from home. Among a soft breeze the vibrant foliage danced around him in its brilliant changing colors of red, brown, and green. Something drew Daetien still further. Something told him he needed to get away from the other Selkieans and be alone with his thoughts. He was tired of trying to get by among his own and wanted a bit of time by himself. Not necessarily alone, but he wanted to get away from their critical eyes and their prodding ways. He wanted to leave the thoughts of his brother and his past behind with the water and trees of home. Daetien simply wanted to get away. As he trotted through the changing landscape he passed through this village and that, ignoring the cheerful greetings that he got from the onlookers. After a while he found himself passing near a dilapidated town with it's worn cobbled streets and small ivy covered houses. As he approached the houses he passed by a small non-working fountain. Daetien padded up to it and sat back on his haunches before laying down, large head on his still larger paws. His mind was just so lost and confused right now. And what's worse... The rain began to fall.

[perf]

Tamaska was in the forest outside of Corvistowne, carefully picking through a dense layer of leaves and moss, hoping to find her prize. A gentle rain was pattering the leaves above, and the ground smelled wet with dew. She was hoping to find the germinating seeds of a Foxtail pine, which aside from the present conditions happened rarely. She needed these seeds to supply her for the next year with as an ingredient required in one of her antidotes, they were exceedingly rare and presented themselves to her rarely.

She had gone straight to the Foxtail pine she had found last year in her wanderings, and so far had found 3 precious seeds. She gazed at the ancient tree, for Foxtail pines grew for thousands of years without death. She wondered if she herself could ever preserve life to that extent. She honored the tree for its resilience and grandeur. Tamaska found only two more seeds, and not wanting to steal all of the pine's young, gave a quick bow to the tree and set back for home.

She entered the town and treaded down her familiar path, past tents and dirty little houses that provided homes to her fellow residents. The creepers and vines that strangled the walls and threatened to seal doors made the town look desolate, but Tamaska knew it was the only home for many. Many people looked down not only upon the town, but the residents themselves, without even trying to consider the circumstances. This, in Tamaska's mind, warranted her often rough appearance to strangers. She had no reason to be kind to someone who stereotyped her as some lowly, dirty, worthless creature.

She trotted jauntily past the town's old fountain, rather happy to be alone in the street. She enjoyed the rain, it was a welcome reprise from the monotony of sun they had had for so long. And she had her pine seeds, which brought her shivers of delight just thinking about them.

Stopping abruptly, Tamaska turned with a wry smile. She almost laughed aloud with delight at this sight. Selkie lakes, my gosh! What poor soul would be desperate enough to come from a land of such cheer to a place such as this?

In her mind, she wondered how this stranger had taken to the dark residents of Corvistowne, however for him to not have fled already was interesting in itself. She grinned to herself, feeling a hint of pity for this lanky canine. Saying nothing, she lay down about 10 feet from the stranger, looking straight at him. Her huge black and blue bulk, with its storage of syringes under her fur didn't move an inch. She cast her deep blue gaze towards the stranger, while at the same time she took in as much as she could about him. She waited patiently, the soft pitter-patter of raindrops delighting her senses and arousing her mind.

[theeraven]

[. O.O.C. - Lovely RP! Pleased to meet you, I am the one and only Raven! Hope you don't mind the private thread. I just love Tamasca. ^_^ .]

[. I.C. ]

Heavy thoughts coursed through his mind like lead through his blood and Daetien tried with all of his might to push them away. After a few minutes he found it useless. There just wasn’t any way the be rid of the terrible thoughts of his youth. The large canine recalled a time in his life back when he was young and carefree, when simply running through the forest was pure joy and cause for his excitable mind to be completely at ease. The recollections continued as he thought back to a time when he, his mother, sister, and brother would all laze about in the warm sunlight until it lulled them into a gentle sleep. Those had been the times in Daetien’s life he was proud of, happy for. That was before everything had gone the wrong way and torn everything Daetien held dear to pieces.

Driven from home, for days and nights he’d wandered, furious with the belief that it had all been doing. Daetien’s ravaged mind was wrought with guilt and in his heart he felt as if it was something he could have, should have, prevented. But why did she have to die? For a moment he buried his large head in his overly large paws and shut every thing out. Even while the rained poured down more freely now, softly pitter-pattering around him, he ignored it while his thoughts trailed to his sister. The mental image that came was of a very strong-willed canine, half as small as he had been back in those days, but nearly stronger than he was. Daetien tried to think about something else, but it was too late. Those horrific screams filled his head and the flashback tore through his mind of his kin and her agonizing death. Daetien lifted his head, tilted his muzzle into the crying heavens and a morose mournful howl, beautiful and heartbreaking, escaped into the morning.

Opening his eyes for the first time in a matter of moments, Daetien’s visage was greeted by something large and dark moving in the distance. As the flashback broke apart and traveled back into the corners of his aching mind Daetien panted now, tongue hanging out the front of his muzzle as if he’d just been through a violent set of convulsions. The thoughts had taken a lot out of him and he lay there, not moving, his head aching as if he’d just been kicked in the skull by a large horse with even larger hooves. He winced slightly, willing himself not to think about it as his steely blue eyes followed the dark shape across from him with curiosity.

Daetien had never been one to judge those whom he did not know first off. He had also never been one to base his opinions of someone or something upon a quick first impression. After all, impressions often lied and unless he knew for sure that it was how things were going to be, Daetien was always one to give a second chance and see if what his mind saw was what was really there. Still, the dilapidation and runned-down appearance of Corvistowne was not something that Daetien would have thought to be that of something lowlier than himself. He hadn’t even met anyone within the region, it was probably much too early. The lot of them were probably still asleep in their beds dreaming of carefree things that Daetien could have only wished. He didn’t hold it against them to be from this region, and as far as he was concerned, those from this region were no better and no less than those from another.

His eyes followed the dark silhouette as it moved through the clearing just past one of the ivy-choked little houses. A gentle curiosity washed over Daetien as his mind throbbed mercilessly. She approached in a jaunty trot, carrying herself proudly over the worn cobbled street and when she approached him Daetien’s troubled eyes followed her. As if to speak on a wordless conversation, she laid down across from him, about a body length away. Saying nothing, he could only wonder what thoughts were crossing her mind upon finding a Selkian so melancholy lying in the middle of her town in the wee hours of the morning in a rainstorm. The splitting pain in his head blurred his vision for a second and he blinked to clear it as he peered over at her. Daetien wasn’t one to just will himself upon first impressions, but to him, even in the rain, the outer layer of her brilliant colored fur soaked as the sky wept, she was the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes upon. A soft sigh escaped his muzzle before he raised his head from his paws again and allowed soft words to caress the air. He didn’t want to give away the fact that he saw her as a brilliant orb of light on this dark day. Though, perhaps, she could help him. His head ached fiercely and he would have given his left ear to make the pain cease. “Please. Please make it stop...” His voice betrayed the pain in his mind, and his heart, as he laid his head upon his paws once more.

[perf]

[OOC: Thank you! I am relatively new to RP so I apologize if I ever RP like a newbie, heehee. I'm really excited to see what comes of these two, Tamaska has never had an admirer! ]

[IC]

Tamaska continued staring as the lone Selkie pleaded at her... she didn't exactly know what to think. She was so used to others throwing glares or sneaking comments as she passed, or being ignored totally except for when her services were in need. However, those who just used her for her talent always had an air of entitlement to them, this creature was obviously very much in need of her services, yet he didn't seem to expect anything of her.

Tamaska thought hard, it went against every grain in her body to feel for this dog, she had learned to steel herself against any thoughtful emotion long ago. She had always treated her patients as just that--a patient who is in need of some physical healing. She never cared about their circumstance, really, although she found their stories often fascinating. Yet, for some reason, this one creature, laying pitifully by the empty fountain, had not demanded anything and she felt obligated to help nonetheless.

She gave him one last long look in the eyes, and could not see disdain nor disgust nor any emotion she could identify. The dog had since laid his head back upon his paws, utterly pitiful lying in the mud.

Tamaska stood up, and though the Selkie dweller was large, he seemed naught but a pup lying there. Now Tamaska faced a predicament. She had never willingly taken someone in to her abode, her circle of safety. Never had she invited someone in, sheltered someone, or felt sorry for someone, not even herself. As she thought, she was unable to identify any of her feelings, although she knew she must do something. She only hoped that her impressions were right and that she was not fooling herself.

Gingerly, she bent down and gave him a few quick nudges. She sniffed his ears, then his paws, then she laid one of her thick ears against his chest. She considered a moment, racking her brain for anything that could help. She sat, and sifting through the fur on her belly, pulled out a syringe half full with a yellowish liquid. She gave herself a quick stab with the needle, waited a moment, and whispered "Yes, yes, that's the one."

She then bent down, and carefully pushing aside the long fur of his neck, gently inserted the syringe and gave the dog the medicine. She sat back on her haunches, waited a moment, and nodded to herself. Her duty done, she stood up to leave, fully intending to head home to where it was dry. However, as she took first one step, then another, something held her back. Tamaska quickly grew frustrated, what was this awful thing she was feeling?! All she wanted to do was go home and fix her seeds. She had no relation to this Selkie visitor, and as far as she was concerned she had done more than was asked of her.

Tamaska felt the stranger could care less about what she had just done, she could see only pain and loneliness in his eyes. Perhaps it was because she knew these feelings that she could not leave him there. As if directed not by her own mind, she ran to her tent and fished for a spare blanket. Splashing back through the rain, she returned to where the dog was and covered him with the blanket. Tamaska looked to the skies with a quizzical look, wondering what this stranger had brought to her, and for the last time headed home, leaving the stranger in the rain with her blanket.

[theeraven]

[. O.O.C. - I think you RP very well. I'm not sure if she was completely gone out of sight, so I just played it as I RPed it. I am good at "wingin' it", lol, so I did. Anyway, I don't know if you want it to end here or keep going. Not sure if Dae should follow her or leave it as it is. I shall leave it up to you. .]

[. I.C. ]

Daetien heaved a sigh, long-winded and downhearted. There was nothing he could do. His sister was gone. The cold grip of mortality had ripped her from his side. Daetien recalled the battle that she’d fought, putting her whole heart and soul in the to protection of her own beliefs. She hadn’t been one to give up easily to anyone or for anything, and yet he still found himself alone now. Her name had been Mikae, she was a beautiful intelligent Selkian, gifted in producing fine crystal, and now… She was just gone. Sadness enveloped Daetien and he closed his eyes again, enclosed within his own sorrow.

Blinking back the sadness that threatened to utterly envelope him, his steely blue eyes found themselves facing the black and sapphire canine once again. She lay there, still and unmoving in the deluge as it poured down upon them with no sign of relenting. After words and been forced from his muzzle in a pained plead she had now risen to all four paws and was padding toward him. Daetien peered up at her, questioning her in a gentle matter. Though he expected nothing from her, he couldn’t help but wish she could put him out of his mental misery. The pain was becoming unbearable and the large white and turquoise canine could barely see straight anymore. Again he closed his eyes.

As his nostrils quivered he could feel her moving around him, shuffling this way and that as if seeking something. When she’d found what she was looking for she leaned over him. On any normal day Daetien would have forced his way up, snarling with every ounce of breath in his lungs at being in such a vulnerable position. But today found his head throbbing with such a ferocity, his thoughts so plagued by his own guilt, his expression that of morose sadness, and his impression of the large black she-dog that of the light at the end of the tunnel. He just did not care. If she was hell bent on killing him he would have laid there and let her. Still he trusted her even though he had no reason to. Daetien listened to her words as she approached once more.

Feeling a prick not unlike a bee sting in the back of his neck, Daetien did not move. His eyes did not open and he didn’t wince under the pressure as the cold liquid entered under his skin. When she pulled back, his eyes opened again and he found his gaze resting on her thickly-furred form. As she moved away from Daetien raised his head only just. It couldn’t end this way. He was more than grateful for her hospitality. She owed him nothing and had done more than he’d expected. “…Thank you, for your kindness.” He left it at that, resting his head on his paws once again. But she was gone in a gentle ripple of onyx and azure colors.

A moment later, she was back at his side, carrying something with her. Daetien watched her from his paws as she approached. Laying a thick blanket over him as the rain continued to pitter-patter around him in large droplets, he couldn’t help but be more than appreciative for her. It wasn’t for her kindness, he was just thankful for her. The throbbing in his mind began to ease as once more she headed off without so much as a word or a glance back. In all reality, Daetien didn’t know what to do. He wouldn’t risk following her. That wasn’t like him. He wasn’t a stalker and refused to act like one. The blanket was hers and he was grateful for it but it didn’t belong to him and he would not keep it.

Though he laid there in the deluge among the barrage of drops as they splashed uncaringly across his nose and stung the tips of his sensitive ears his mind strayed to the she-dog who had so willingly helped him. His mind cleared more and more and he could only wonder about her. Daetien knew nothing of the black and blue Corvistownian canine. He didn’t know where she lived, where she’d come from, or her intentions that morning. What he did know was that she had helped him without question and that was more than he could say for the Selkians he’d met in his lifetime. He didn’t even known her name. Determination overcame his mind as he lay there in the downpour. Some way to repay her for her unasked for generosity. Daetien raised his head again, ignoring the gentle irritation from the needle wound in the back of his neck. He watched as she sauntered away, determined to get to shelter out of the storm. Daetien called out softly in his gently masculine voice. “…Don’t go.” But it seemed she was gone.

[perf]

[OOC: Winging it is great, I like to let things go where they want. I'd love to continue, I'd like to see something come of Ska and Dae. I'll try and make it so that they can find each other somehow in a bit. I'm having a lot of fun with this, thanks!]

[IC]

Tamaska didn't hear him call for her to stay through the rain, although this may have been a blessing from above. Tamaska was already confused beyond belief, she was so used to her daily life, her daily interactions, and she had her programmed responses to people. Never before had she met someone so radically different, yet she could not understand how he was different because he had said nothing. The foreign feeling was too much for her, and she wanted to go home and sleep.

Returning to her abode, she shook vigorously and rummaged for a new blanket. She threw it over herself and lay down, trying to push any thoughts of the Selkie out of her mind. As hard as she tried, she could not sleep. It was at times like these that she wished she was not immune to her own potions, for she would love to give herself a shot of tamarack bark which could send her into a peaceful sleep. But it was her destiny to heal, and though her resistance to poisons gave her a huge advantage, it was also a bane for her at times.

She lay quietly, her body still and her mind flying in all directions. She could not contain herself. She had to do something, she could not simply walk away from this dog who she had helped. Getting up with a sigh, she folded her blanket and took it with her as she once again set out into the rain. Staying to the side of the road, she made her way along the treeline back towards the fountain. She walked until she could see a dark form huddled against the base of the fountain. She ventured forward, silently, until she was able to clearly see the dog under her blanket. She tucked herself under some fern bushes, invisible to all but the most prying of eyes. She placed her blanket over herself and settled to watch.

Instantly, a calm feeling came over her. She felt much better now that she could keep an eye on him. She knew not whether he needed her eye, she tended to feel that if he had made it this far he was rather self sufficient. But it relaxed her to be there, in his presence. She wanted to be there when he came around, if not to retrieve her blanket but to inquire as to his reason of travel. She was not a nosy person, she never asked anyone questions of what or why, but once again this was an entirely different case. She hoped he would not mind. Calm within her mind once again, Tamaska let out a content sigh and settled in for the wait.

[theeraven]

[. O.O.C. - You're quite welcome! This is turning out quite lovely and I am having a great time of it, so thank you to you too! -hugs- .]

[. I.C. .]

Mother Nature was quite obviously saddened about something as she wept freely over all of Corvistowne and the surrounding areas. Perhaps she was upset that her sphere had been so tormented by such a hot summer that now she found the only comfort of it all in crying out to the beautiful earth with large droplets to cool the heated landscape. The soil would so thankfully soak up the moisture as if parched of the life-giving waters to the point of death. Fall was beginning to creep across the valleys and marshes, the forests and plains. All over the trees had begun to change from their spring and summer brilliance to the soft browns and oranges of their autumn garments. As with autumn came the cool weather, much like the storm that found a large white dog lying in without care.

The white form was still, head back on his overly large front paws gazing past the houses off into nothingness. His steely blue eyes drifted here and there now and again as if searching for some unseen thing. Thunder rumbled noisily in the distance, the starling echo of it hitting his sopping ears with such a quickness that they jolted back sharply for a moment as he raised his head, staring over the tops of the run down little houses, questioning nature’s wrath. The storm was growing worse as it was blown toward the epicenter of Corvistowne. Paying it now mind he settled his head on his soaking wet forepaws and again closed his troubled eyes.

Daetien's thoughts strayed and his visions were carried back to the cobalt and cornflower canine. She existed now only in his memory like pictures painted within the confines of his mind. Everything he knew about her reeled in his mind like a five-minute film clip. She hadn’t even spoken to him. Hadn’t even uttered a single word that was to be deliberately directed at him. It was almost as if she merely went about giving him the injection just for the sake of doing so, because offering cures and administering medicines was her job, not because she cared. Daetien didn’t mind that, she didn’t have any reason to give a damn about a useless lump of white fur stupidly sitting out in the middle of weeping sky. Still she’d tended to him. Daetien was indebted to her for such selfless kindness.

He couldn’t help wondering where she’d gone off to, leaving him blanketed near the old fountain. She was probably warm and comfortable back in her house, mixing some sort of potion without a care in the world with Daetien being the last thing on her mind. In fact, she’d had probably put him out of mind completely by now. It was to be expected. He didn’t know her and she didn’t know him. They hadn’t even exchanged light conversation. They hadn’t had a conversation at all and she would probably be completely at ease if she never seen nor heard of him again. The rain fell still. Daetien’s head was soaked to the bone as he blinked the water out of his eyes. The blanket was keeping the water off of his skin and wet fur but it too would soon become soaked. Daetien heaved a sigh and rolled over to one side under the dark mass that covered him. He now lay sprawled out next to an unworking fountain in a town that wasn’t his own. To any bystander who didn’t note his shallow breathing, he would have looked like a lifeless corpse left among the crumbling cobblestones waiting for the funeral man’s cart.