Reldai
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Post by Reldai on Jun 12, 2012 20:56:44 GMT -6
Reldai smiled as she tucked her arm with his. "Well, my love," She touched the drawing, "why don't we see what we find." He could feel the spirit of adventure in her and the complete contentment she had wandering these caverns with him.
***
Ash smiled again, leaning into the hug. He still wasn't quite used to others hugging him and he liked it. It made him feel wanted. For a long time, no one but Rikki had wanted him.
"yes, please" he said softly with another weak hug given to Galventh.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2012 21:09:29 GMT -6
He grins, taking her arm, nodding, "Yes I think that would a suitable task for right now" he could feel that spirit of adventure and it seemed to rise with each day to match his own. He looked at the image again and took it memory the images they were looking for.
Slowly he begins to move around the cavern searching for the first one, moving left to right. He didn't know if there were multiple ones, but if they were trying to hide something he would guess that there would be more than one and some similar. Each drawing intrigued him, each one identical except the odd one that seemed randomly thrown in. Random? How random could they be?
Galventh smiles as Ash agrees to a swim, watching Arlianth land and go to Nycia to talk about what to do next, he rises, lifting Ash up onto his shoulders then he runs towards the water. "Do you like swimming Ash?" he figured the boy did by the sudden longing he felt.
When they reach the water Galventh slows and walks into the water with Ash still on his shoulders. "I will stay with you." he would not let any harm come to the boy.
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Reldai
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Post by Reldai on Jun 12, 2012 21:37:58 GMT -6
Reldai moved with him, examing the drawings as well. At one point, she moved away from him, staring back and forth from one to the other... Every other one? She wondered as she looked around skpping one, then another until it semeed like a moving picture in her mind. Strange. *** Ash laughed softly as he clung to Galventh bobbing up and down and the other ran. When he entered the water and it touched his feet Galventh could feel him tense, then slowly relax as the water reached to his knees. He wiggled until Galventh let him slid down the others back. He contined to slide until he was neck deep in the water, as Galventh watched he ducked under the water. And stayed. .....and it felt....wonderful.
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Post by Lori-Kim on Jun 16, 2012 7:47:28 GMT -6
He continues to look for the one symbol as he moves, pausing a moment to watch her as she moves away. A tilt of his head, "What is it Love?" as he moves his eyes back to the other symbols he catches sight of the one he is looking for and moves to it. His hand moving over the image, then he moves past the next one to the image that appears on the right side of the figure. nodding and marking it in his mind.
Galventh smiles as he watches Ash in the water. It seemed natural for the boy to be in the water and now that made it more urgent to get to the Great Waters of the Sea. ::Can you feel it?:: Arlianth was watching now, nodding from the distance, ::Yes I can feel it.:: These were a strange people to her and the rest of the Dragons, though dangerous in the mind of some, yet to her it seemed they only wanted to live a simple life by the sea. Galventh and Ash stayed in the water longer than he had intended, playing and splashing and swimming about. After a while, when the sun was almost at its highest he moved to Ash, "Come Ash, it's time to go. We must get you and your people to the Great Sea" Ash pouted but reluctantly he went along with Galventh climbing on his back as the neared the shore making Galventh laugh, but he didn't mind pausing to let Ash move up to his shoulders as the rest of the camp was waiting for them. Arlianth moves along side them as Nycia and the others smile at the joy they can see on Ash's face from his swim. "Let's get going" And they start down the path, walking at a reasonable pace for a group of people on a mission to move, fast enough to travel far, but not so fast that they didnt get tired out too early.
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Reldai
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Post by Reldai on Jun 22, 2012 21:35:51 GMT -6
She spoke softly, "patterns are within the patterns" She frowned as she looked back and forth of the nearest images. "It seems more than one story is told here."
Ash was content to ride on the big mans shoulders. For once he could see above everyone else and imagine what it would be like to be tall and strong. The measured steps of Galventh with the rocking motion was all that was needed to bring him to a light doze. Automatically he clung tighter as his yawn breathed against the mans ear. The interlude at the water had helped him, yet it was as if a tired person had taken an overdose of caffeine and ran on the false energy it provided. Ash similiarly was affected, not by the falseness of the energy but by the effects of it's removal. As they moved further from the water, the afternoon growing longer, Ash crashed. Nycia, having been keeping a step or two behind Galventh during the walk, saw Ash pale. "oh, dear boy," she murmered softly as she moved to catch the sliding boy as he lost his sleeping grip on Galventh. Catching him in her arms, she handed him to Tavean and watched as Ash settled more comfortably against his shoulder. Tavean smiled at Nycia's worry, speaking softly, "He is just asleep."
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2012 12:24:21 GMT -6
He nods at her observations of the room they were in. He too turned and looked at every second image. each story ending at the images he had been searching for and starting with the one that had shown the two images.
"It seems we are not the only Dragon and human to be in this chamber."
But he looked closely at the images and a tilt of his head and a soft "curious" was all he spoke.
Galventh kept an inner eye on Ash as he rode his shoulders. He could feel the crash coming and began to put two and two together. He began connecting things. This was indeed a strange people. He sought the mind of one of the others that traveled with them that had been with Reldai, he sought earlier memories and did so without being obvious. She may or may not notice but he had to know, and there he found the first memory she had of her interaction with water and walked through it. The affects it had on her and the short journey inland that she took and the affects of being away from water.
He takes a breath, slipping from her memories, leaving no sign that he had been there other than the young woman remembering that day as clear as it was yesterday. He then went into Ash's memories, noticing that this last moment was his first experience like that.
"We must move a faster"
no longer could they travel at a slower pace. Arlianth saw the urgency, felt it through their bond but didn't ask. He pauses only to look back and call out. "If you are unable to move faster, join up with a stronger one who can. The Stronger must help or carry the weaker."
Tavean looks curiously to him, "There are sick among us, not enough strong to carry them" Galventh nods to his words, "I will shift and fly them the rest of the way, including Ash"
Arlianth moves to his side, "you can't carry them all my Love. I will help" he shook his head, "no Arlianth, you must stay with them and protect them. We are close, but.. " he didn't finish the sentence but looked to Ash. At that moment Tavean , Nycia and Arlianth understand, "Go Love. Take him. We will join you in a day."
He takes her hands, thoughts moving freely between them, ::Are you sure?:: Arlianth squeezes his hands and smiles, ::I know where our daughter got the fire within her spirit. You go. We will be fine. If not, I'll just eat them all:: He laughs softly, shakes his head, "and this is why I love you" he kisses her softly, she nods, "among other reasons. Now go."
He looks to the young woman whose mind he entered, "Will you hold Ash and fly with us?" she laughs softly, nodding, "I will"
Galventh runs a distance from the group and shifts. The young woman is helped onto his back, then she takes Ash from Tavean. ~We are ready~ she shares with him, holding Ash tightly to her.
Galventh nods, looks to the others, "I will come back once he is safe and resting. I should be back before night fall"
Arlianth, moves to his head, caresses his neck, "It has been a long time since I have looked upon this form with my human eyes." she visibly shudders ::Now go::
she steps away and watches him rise into the air and fly towards the Great Sea.
She then sends to the mind of all, ::We must continue. We are close, we should move as quickly as we can.:: Turning to Tavean and Nycia, "You take the lead, I will fall behind and protect those in the back. Call if you need anything"
They nod to her and start moving, picking up the pace they now move a little faster than before. She let the others pass until she was beside the last, helping each one she could move a little faster.
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Reldai
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Post by Reldai on Jun 23, 2012 20:56:20 GMT -6
Hahna grasped Ash tighter as they were lifted up in the air. Her laughter of a moment before stilling as the ground fell swiftly away from them. She pressed a light kiss to his brow, frowing as the heat from his skin bled through her lips. He was far too warm for her liking, she thought as she gave a glance back. Already they were falling farther behind. Ash smiled in his dreams, he could see the ocean spread out as far as the eyes could see. He could hear Reldai tell him and Rikki of the stories of an ocean world. A place filled with water where the people lived. He shuddered in Hahna's arms. "We're almost home, Ash. We're almost home." she said as a tear dropped from her cheek to land upon his face.
Nycia watched until they were far in the distance, her steps slower than Tavean's, yet faster than their slowest. She moved through the small crowd, urging others to greater strength. Not for the last time had she wondered about Reldai and J'raith. When would they see them again? "here, dearest," she said softly to one of the older women as she tucked her arm about the woman and half carried, half pushed her forward. "Will we be there soon?" came the aged question. "Yes, mother." Nycia replied to the elder. "Soon." As they moved down the valley, Nycia looked ahead to Tavean. He was a good man. She had been very fortunate in choosing him, she decided. "Be careful, there are rocks" she called out to those around her.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2012 21:53:27 GMT -6
Galventh could feel the woman's sorrow and worry for Ash and tried to ease it with comfort from him. Suspecting that part of the problem was Ash did not swim much, and he was thinking that perhaps he needed to be in or near water more often.
His sharp ears could pick up the roars in the distance behind them as it carried on the breeze, he couldn't tell if they were dragon, but guessed at least one was. This meant his urgency just increased, not knowing who the roars came from. The humans wouldn't hear the roars, dragon hearing much better than most animals they could hear from a distance what sounded like thunder to them.
A sun withdrew further to the west as he flew eastward, darkness was coming soon. He would help Hahna get Ash settled and then return to the group. He rose up over the waterfall that would mark just how close they were, then descended towards the small village at the edge of the Great Sea. He could feel the apprehension as he approached and sent to any down there
::Reldai is a friend. I carry one of your own on my back::
he lands gently to the ground and waited for Hahna to slide off his back with Ash before shifting. They were just outside the village. He took the boy to let Hahna do what she must to get a place for Ash and prepare for those that would come with him tomorrow.
A few moments pass that seem like a day when she emerges from a hut, "In here Galventh, I have made a bed for him" He nods and carries the boy inside, laying him on a cot. Touching his forehead, frowning, hoping being near the Great Sea would help sooner rather than later. He felt her hand on his, "I will ensure he is alright. Go" she smiles and he nods, "Thank you, I will bring the others as soon as I can."
Rising he leaves the hut, a moment later Hahna steps out, "Thank you Galventh" he looks back and nods, then runs to the edge of the village and rises into the air after shifting to his Dragon form. He turns and heads west, moving quickly to return to the rest of the group.
Arlianth could hear the roars, being closer still than her mate she too knew at least one was a Dragon, but she didn't know what state this sound off was in. It caused worry to touch her features for just a moment. She felt her mate having made she breathes a breath of relief. That meant he would be returning. Not that she didn't think she could protect them, but two were better than one.
She continues to help those who were slower than the rest, aiding them physically as well as mentally. They would have to stop at some point, but she wouldn't until he had returned to them.
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Reldai
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Post by Reldai on Jun 23, 2012 22:18:16 GMT -6
The alarm that brought many out of their homes, eased as Galventh landed and Hahna quickly spoke to the others. Most had watched the dragon fly off, before returning to their nightly tasks. No matter what excitement, certain things needed to be done each day.
As Hahna gently bathed Ash's brow, one of the villagers entered the small home. "What is wrong with him," came the question as he moved closer. Touching Ash's cheek, he frowned and looked at Hahna. "He has the wasting sickness"
"The what?"
"Come" He picked up Ash, over Hahna's protests and swiftly strode from the house. Grumbling at his highhanded manner, she followed. She'd have her neck in a sling if anything happened to the boy.
"Where are you going?" She asked directly as he moved past one house and then another. "You'll see" came the short reply. She realized then, he was not exactly forthcoming in his answers.
They'd reached the beach before she spoke again. "what are you doing?" He waded into the water, kneeling down beside a leaning chair that sat half submerged in the water. Several such chairs were lining the shoreline. "What?" she started to ask again as he placed Ash in one of the chairs.
"i have never seen a young one so poorly." he said as he brushed the hair from Ash's forhead. "He has been away for a long time." Hahna finally reaching them, knelt on the other side of Ash, looking across him to the man. "Away from what?" she asked.
"Home", he said softly as the first of the gentle night waves rolled to shore and across Ash's body.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 27, 2012 20:22:21 GMT -6
He stands in the center of the room. Starting with the images that she had looked at he went around. Where he found the images he'd been looking for there was a break, then he starts with the alternate images, doing the same as he turns.
"This is unbelievable! It is one story, but it seems there are 4 different parts to it." He moves behind her and turns her to look at the images. Follow the line you started before and switch to the others when you reach the two images we were looking for, follow it around until you get to the end."
The story told of a human and dragon who passed through this chamber. It was hard to tell if it was of the past or.. of now. He shook his head in amazement, it could not be.
Hahna watches as they stayed with Ash at the water's edge, she thought about the things Reldai and Jezraith had talked about, "I wonder if the strong bond he has with his sister and the constant beating he took emotional would make it worse than it was?" she was more musing out loud, but hoped that maybe it would be correct.
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Reldai
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Post by Reldai on Jun 28, 2012 0:17:41 GMT -6
She followed the story twice over before she paused and look at him. "I would say, it looks like you, ' she smiled at him, before scanning the artwork again. "Sometimes all it takes is a little hurt. Though the words were softly spoken, she hesitated a moment before saying the words. Why the hesitation. Why the words? She shook her head, trying to gather why she said something that wasn't her own. It was as if, someone else for that moment spoke for her.
Airard slipped into a small cottage, hiding from view for several mintes. As he returned , he carried a small bwl. Within it lay a collection of berries and nuts. Airard passed the bowl to Hahna, instructing her softly. "Make it certain he eats all this."
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2012 9:42:26 GMT -6
He blinks at her words, tilting his head, "What?" it was asked in curiosity, "Where did that come from?" He could tell something was different by the way she said it. "Reldai?"
He moves to her and caresses her face, looking into her eyes to make sure nothing had happened to her.
Galventh joins Arlianth and the others. He lands just behind the group, then runs to catch up to his beloved, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her tightly. "Ash is getting taken care of" They turn to start walking, "How did you figure it out?" He smiles, "I noticed he was completely different in the water, and as we got farther from it he became as he was before. I touched Hahna's mind, searched her memories and found a similar experience within her. All these that live now are the same, just most don't realize it. Most live a sickly life thinking it's normal, but there are a few like Nycia and those of her village, who know the truth."
she nods softly, "Then they truly are not the same as those that tried to destroy us and enslave us" he nods, taking a breath, letting that realization settle. She had seen, and partially believed it, but now the reality met with the truth. She smiles softly, "And even if they were of the same place as the others, they are not the same." Galventh laughs softly, "Now you are starting to sound like Aer'alyn" they laugh softly together. Walking, but ever aware of their surroundings.
He sends to Nycia and Tavaen, ::There is a short cut I found. It will require us to carry many of you to the bottom of a waterfall, but it will cut the journey down by half a day. Perhaps we can stay and swim for a bit before going beyond.::
Arlianth looks to him, "Is that wise?" glancing behind them, unsure what was happening, he nods to her "We will be fine"
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Reldai
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Post by Reldai on Jun 30, 2012 14:14:58 GMT -6
"I'm not sure", she said softly as she frowned. "I heard myself saying it, but I don't know why." He could see she was as confused as he was. her gaze was troubled and that concern brought her to rest her cheek against his chest. What hurt? Things they had experienced? Things they would experience?
"I wish we knew what all this meant." she glanced up at him as she gestured around them.
Nycia and the others of Reldai's village laughed as the idea of a break and swim was spread. Others, those from the small villages that had been gathered during the trek, and those of Sahira's village began to grumble at the delay. Wherever they were going, they wanted to get there. Why delay again?
Tavean, listening to them, began to walk through the groups. His voice gentle as he admonished the more vocal. "We need to rest. We are already gaining time with the dragons help. Trust us," he smiled at Nycia, "you will enjoy the break. We all will."
He met Nycia's eyes and they smiled. Soon they would be home.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2012 15:29:16 GMT -6
He took her into his arms, holding her tight, "I don't know my Love but whatever happens we will be together" he hoped that was true, that they wouldn't be separated again.
They had been traveling up for several days though it wasn't obvious except for the steady incline of the ground. How far until they reach the surface and what happens when they get there? Where will they end up? How far from home will they be?
He lifts her face to him and kisses her softly, caressing her cheek, "I will protect you and stay with you no matter what. Only a great force would keep me from you" He hugs her tightly again, then making memory of these images, he looks to the two he had searched for and the shadow that passes between them.. the girl they'd followed.
"Come, let's go" seemingly no way out he takes her hand and moves to that spot. There he lets her go first, not letting her hand go, then stepping behind her. Another set of stairs, steeper than they had experienced before and higher. It would be a long climb.
A few more hours and they reached the waterfall. Galventh and Arlianth stepped forward, "Anyone want a ride down?" he laughed softly. A few put their hands up, others laughed. "We will take 2 healthy and 2 sick or injured to help them."
They both shifted and the first 8 were lifted onto their backs, Nycia and her mother on Arlianth with two others, and 4 more on Galventh's back including Ash and Rikki's mother.
Once everyone was settled and secure they stepped off the cliff and glide down to the edge of the pool below. The 4 getting off each of their back. Galventh turns his large head, "Move to the water. Let it sooth the aches" he knew it would do much more, but he couldn't say that.
They rose up to the top of the water fall again and continued the process. He realized part of the delay was the wait for the rest of everyone to be brought down.
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Reldai
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Post by Reldai on Jun 30, 2012 20:14:28 GMT -6
Reldai leaned into his embrace, absorbing it and letting it fill her with the warmth he brought. His words were more than a light in her heart, they were food to her soul and could only hope that he was right, nothing would happen.
They walked...and walked..and walked until she said with a huff and gasp of breath. "Did they carve a mountain inside here? It seems we've climbed it." Her hand tightened on his as she looked back with a weary smile.
In all the adventure, she was getting tired.
Nycia helped Caraba to the water, then the others before she slipped into the pool. When the water reached waist deep she ducked beneath and swam to the waterfall. She felt the stirring of water beneath the surface telling her the pouring water was above. As she broke the surface, the torrent of water washed over her. She looked up at the water falling, held her arms out and......
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