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Spots do well in shadows - Chulane - 06-17-2020
The topmost level of the Academy was stunning. Chuy had been admiring the structure from the outside since he had arrived in Halo, yearning to enter and immerse himself in its halls, its classrooms, its library. At least there was a library - another source of entertainment for the busy mind of the vet to turn to.
But he wasn't reading this night. Instead, he was looking through piercing blue eyes of a different shape - feline eyes.
The Academy was vast, fortunately. Though there were many guests currently staying, it was still possible to find a empty room. Chuy loved his leopard form, was growing more comfortable in it every time he shifted, but not everyone felt the same. It was understandable, the shift wasn't exactly a common or tame one.
It was a training room, left empty, the amount of fires needed to light it against this extended midnight deemed too many to be worth lighting. But that made it perfect for certain feline eyes to explore, for feline senses to go wild with the possibility of exploration and discovery.
The clouded leopard breathed in those scents, relishing in the information it gave him, the insight. It smelt of old sweat, of dust and weaponry, with the faintest hint of old parchment, of leather-bound books elsewhere.
And then something else as well..
Something else was in here with him.
RE: Spots do well in shadows - Kiada - 06-17-2020
He absolutely isn’t alone. But instead of peering through iceberg eyes as any one of her other shifts, this creature sits in the rafters, watching with scarlet eyes and a small enough frame, pale and blending into the darkness of where the fireplace lights can’t reach. She wonders how long it’ll take for him to notice her, if he’ll even notice that it’s her and not just a trapped bird.
It’s amusing, and she finds herself quietly keeping everything to herself, quiet as can be as she watches him sniff and learn about the surrounding area. She watches his ears as they swivel and stutter a brief moment, and that’s when she thinks he might have noticed her.
Large wings spread, and she takes to the air — swooping and diving, aimed directly at Chulane’s spotted body, a crooning croak of amusement slipping from her beak as she does so — aiming to barrel into his side like a pale but large bullet.
RE: Spots do well in shadows - Chulane - 06-17-2020
Hairs raised along his nape, muscles rippling beneath his spotted pelt, tensing, coiling, ready.
Ready for what, he did not know fully yet.
Ears flicked, twitching, trying to hear for things that may not be there, trying to lay out some certainty, to gleam some clarity. There was a tension in the room, and then a shuffling, claws over wood - he looked up, but not in the right area, not seeing the wings spreading, the great avian taking flight.
It wasn't until it was upon him that he finally saw it, the tension in his body releasing in a grossly inelegant display of feline athleticism - he leapt straight up, as cats were wont to do when surprised, tail flailing behind him, and a thought beaming out through the attuned bond as the action was executed --
-- [say]'Jesus fucking Christ!'[/say]
It was very much an Earth exclamation, a blasphemic curse that despite his atheism, was quite regularly used by the vet.
The rather erratic movement didn't really put his body outside of the line of the giant bird's flight path - instead, it seemed to only make him more mobile and liable to falling over from the collision. A great yowl grumbled from his throat as he was sent sideways, landing on his feet but finding little purchase on the smooth floor beneath as the bird's weight soon knocked him down in a flurry of feathers.
[say]'…Oomph'[/say] came the thought as he basically accepted his fate, finding himself quite unable to gather the effort to escape from this predicament. His brain eventually caught up with the moment too, as his senses turned to examining this new discovery.
The bird was behaving in a way no normal bird would, and so Chuy sent a pulse of inquisition towards it, as well as playful suspicion - he knew of one who had a vulture shift, and if he was right, well, he'd be thrilled to say the least.
RE: Spots do well in shadows - Kiada - 06-17-2020
Oh she really surprises him as she descends upon him – and if she could have grinned she’d be looking like a fool as she dives toward him. His curse, shouted down the Attuned bond makes no sense to her, but she’s amused by it nonetheless, continuing her playful assault until he’s back on the ground and she collides with him, rolling out along the floor with feathers sticking out everywhere. She rolls across the floor until she comes to a stop, body shaking with restrained crooning of laughter.
Scarlet eyes open as she tries to right herself back up, clamoring to her feet as she tucks her wings in tight and stares back at him, her beak parted slightly. [say]I got you.[/say] She chimes to him through the Attuned bond, proud and playful and grinning as much as her avian form would let her. She hops toward him now, head tilting avian-like as she focuses on his recovery.
[say]What does Jesus Christ mean?[/say] She asks with another chime of laughter, settling along the training room floor.
RE: Spots do well in shadows - Chulane - 06-18-2020
He is laughing, inasmuch as a leopard can laugh. Huffing a breath through nostrils, the amusement and playful acceptance of her presence is beamed across the bond, far more indicative of his state of mind than the limitations of expression his leopard self can express alone. [say]'You did,'[/say] he virtually purred through the bond, stretching his paws out in front of him, before opting to roll upright once more.
With his tail stretching up high over his spine, he rose and let the stretch travel up and down his back in a great ripple of tensing muscles - a far more elegant and refined action than the instinctual leap-flail he had performed upon spying her incoming assault. His eyes were upon her, drinking her form in, relishing in her presence as he always did - but also extremely curious to know this shift of hers too.
[say]'Ah,'[/say] he commented to her question initially. [say]'He was a religious figure from the stories on my homeworld. Mostly good for mixing in with various curses when one is ambushed.'[/say] He sent another playful pulse, as if he needed a reason to want to reach out to her, to feel with her. He made no effort to conceal everything else he felt for her too - the contentedness, the warmth she brings to his heart, the excitement of seeing her again even if it had only been a few hours since they parted ways in this maze of a school.
He was standing before her, feline crown tilting as he simply observed her. Then he was moving, and it was as if feline-stalking mode had been activated. He trekked a circular path around her, his eyes hyperfocussed on one particular thing - her tailfeathers.
Like a kitten might curiously paw at a new toy, he extended a paw at her tailfeathers, claws remaining hidden within the pads of his toes, just to gently stroke and see what might happen.
RE: Spots do well in shadows - Kiada - 06-18-2020
His eyes remain on her as she can’t help her enjoyment, her laughter bubbling through the bond as she replays his reaction over and over again in her mind. She didn’t know he could move quite like that, but she’s amused to death with it. Instead, she focuses on him as he rises and she remains in place, keeping her wings tucked in tight, her scarlet gaze watching him as her question is aired and she listens with intrigue and interest.
A religious figure, huh?
[say]Has anyone met him?[/say] She asks curiously as he circles her, her head tilting. [say]Was he like a god?[/say] She also asks, trying to figure out whether or not it was a good idea to mix his name in with curses, though she can’t help the amusement from slipping down the bond toward him as he sends her back his own playful pulse.
But then his paw is there, reaching out toward her tailfeathers – ones that flex a small amount before she’s hopping away at the very last moment, turning to face him with her wings flared her full wingspan, before bringing them forward to cup his fuzzy feline cheeks.
RE: Spots do well in shadows - Chulane - 06-18-2020
[say]'Hmm,'[/say] he hummed through the bond at her queries, forgetting so easily who he has and hasn't spoken to about the so-called 'gods' of his homeworld. [say]'There were no gods there,'[/say] he said softly, thoughtfully. [say]'Though many would disagree with me,'[/say] a touch of rueful reflection entered his tone. [say]'Man wrote religious texts to help them understand the world thousands of years ago. Within those texts was this Jesus Christ, said to be the son of the God given credit for creating the world.'[/say]
It was such a simple explanation, and to a world that knew no better, it was easy to see it as truth - until science shed light on the truth of the matter. [say]'But man wrote other things in those texts too, and wielded the words like a weapon to enthral followers, with smoke and mirrors, convincing them that their God exists despite no true evidence ever being present.'[/say]
He could feel the shiteating grin radiating from her at his antics from before, and he took it on with amusement and a certain air of dignity - it was completely intentional. At least he was embracing the instincts of this form more readily - surely she should be proud that her student was progressing so well.
When she twitched, he jumped slightly again, muscles flinching, but the paw kept stretching towards her. Then she hopped away, and in another flurry of feathers, suddenly had him in an embrace. It all happened so swiftly, he couldn't help but sit down and take it - quiet happily, with purrs vibrating up through his chest and throat.
[say]'I'm more of a science man myself. But science has a severe lack of handy curse outlets.'[/say] He stuck a pink tongue out between whiskered lips, before opening his jaw in a wide yawn, all while within her clutches.
RE: Spots do well in shadows - Kiada - 06-19-2020
He explains and her head cocks a small amount more. [say]Huh.[/say] She muses quietly, prodding mentally for him to continue on. And continue on he does, the feeling of a frown crossing her beak, though it does nothing appearance wise. There’s a shift of disappointment as she focuses on the way he mentions that people had wielded it against their own – she supposes it’s not much different from religion here, only you could see the gods, their flaws and all.
But it fades as he reaches out, as she grows quietly amused and playful as she whips herself around to face him, wings and feathers squishing the sides of his cheeks as he goes to sit. [say]Good kitty.[/say] She purrs to him with the feeling of content and happiness seeping through the bond toward him, and she slowly moves her wings away from his face but not before tapping him on the cheek with them, before splaying them out for him to inspect closer should he wish to.
[say]Never had much for… Science where I came from. This place has more things than I imagined and am used to.[/say] She explains, watching him with scarlet eyes. [say]Like the showers? I never had a shower before coming here. It’s really interesting.[/say] She offers, a bit embarrassed by her ignorance on it, but having no other way to find out aside from Caido itself and its technological advantages.
RE: Spots do well in shadows - Chulane - 06-19-2020
A theological discussion was one he could go on and on about - he truly hated the manipulative way religion was weaponised on Earth, the wars that had been fought over it, the people enslaved by it, the genocide committed by it. A general sense of his distaste for the topic of religion was probably apparent across the bond as his thoughts churned more about it, his words barely covering the magnitude of the horrors man has wrought upon his fellow man. Kia's disappointment was rightly placed - he was disappointed too, and angry, and frustrated at what man invented initially to interpret the world around them, but then twisted that knowledge to their advantage.
His thoughts and emotions swiftly improve however, warm laughter pulsing through the bond, as feathers and wings hold him in place, as he is branded a good kitty. He purrs, even as he appreciatively looks over the proffered wings when given the opportunity, disseminating them, gleaming from them much that his intellectual mind thrives on. [say]'Beautiful,'[/say] he said with awe and appreciation, hoping the full meaning of his comment gets through - she was stunning, but she was also Kia, in this form as well as her others, and Kia was also strong, wild, and passionate. He saw those features of her in this form as well.
He nodded, much like he would if he held his human form, at her words, before a rather devious pulse of emotion rose up within him and darted playfully across the bond. [say]'I find the thought of you in a shower rather interesting, too.'[/say] And along with the words he let down his barrier further, letting loose the desires she stirred up within him, reflecting on the more intimate times they've had, the admiration, the adoration, the gratitude that she was in his life at all.
[say]'Indoor plumbing is certainly one of the many things I am glad exists here,'[/say] he commented as amusement dampened down the flood of emotions from before - he was getting better at controlling it, though around her he was still prone to losing himself amongst the depth of his feelings, if only because she inspired so many of the more passionate ones within him. [say]'I think you're more of a scientist than you might realise; the Monster Hunter's Guild seeks to learn about and catalogue different species of fauna, hm? That's science, baby.'[/say] He offers the final comment with another mental chuckle, and a shrug of his speckled shoulders.
RE: Spots do well in shadows - Kiada - 06-19-2020
The awe and appreciative compliment is enough to make her preen, for her feathers to spark and for her to give a beaky grin back toward Chulane, her feathers ruffling a small amount along her shoulder. She gives him a feeling of gratitude, sent back down the bond – far more intimate and wonderful, gentle and sweet in comparison. And then, she’s commenting about science and showers and the many surprises she’s come across.
And his comment has her lifting those wings almost like a fan before her feathered face, her scarlet gaze hidden behind the plumes of black and ashy white. [say]Seems like it might be the only option of privacy here.[/say] She replies easily enough, a hum of a purr sent down toward him before laughter soon follows at their quarters for the week.
She can’t help but to pulse her own desires back, a gentle yet powerful sweeping sensation.
And soon enough amusement grows within them again, and she goes to hop away a small amount, wings flared as she stretches them to beat a bit of air beneath them to take to the air once again. [say]Is that so?[/say] She chimes back to him, lifting herself off the ground to fly in idle circles around him. [say]I suppose that’s true. Though I guess I was leaning a bit more toward… What do the Ascended’s call it? Technology? Is that a thing in Australia?[/say] She asks, peering down at him from her vultures circle.
RE: Spots do well in shadows - Chulane - 06-19-2020
Anything she sends to him is received, embraced and supported - the bond is unlike anything he's ever felt before. He'd always been an empath, it was what allowed him to become a vet, to be able to discern what an animal was feeling even though they did not share a language. It applied for humans as well, but this, the attuned bond, was a marvel to him. Where he might have found himself overwhelmed by it once, he know found himself welcoming it, ushering it towards him, yearning for it - in particular yearning for whatever she would give him. He wanted to know her, to be worthy of her, to be strong enough for her to lean on, and so no matter what she sent he heard it, he treated it with respect and reciprocated it.
And had a playful time with it too, as various degrees of desires mingle through the bond, admiration and gratitude, and amusement keeping it light. He could easily be swept away by it, would happily bask in it indefinitely - but they were so much more than their carnal desires, however much they were compatible in that area too.
[say]'Ah, yeah, technology.'[/say] He voiced his understanding, watching her movement with keen feline interest, his head tilting as it followed her circular path. [say]'One of the most impactful pieces of technology that Australia, and the world, had, was a network that allowed one person to talk to another using a device no bigger than my paw.'[/say] He stretched a paw out before him as he spoke, flexing the toes suggestively, even as he kept watching her above him.
Then he was moving, having spied a sturdy shelf that looked able to carry his weight, to put him within a leap's length of the rafters above. He climbed, letting the instincts of the leopard take over, letting its desire to be high up drive him, glancing over his shoulder to the circling vulture all the while. He was atop the shelf now, and he paused to once again admire the room, and the bird before him. [say]'It was called the internet,'[/say] he supplied, a bit wistful - it had taken him several weeks to stop looking for his phone, to stop feeling phantom vibrations in his pocket from messages that did not exist. [say]'I do not think such a thing would be compatible with the magic that makes up Caido,'[/say] he commented finally, before taking a flying leap to the nearest rafter above them.
Muscles tensed as he latched onto the timber frame, tail swinging about behind him, forelimbs pulling his hindend up with a grunt of effort apparent through the bond. Once in place, he let a quiet sense of accomplishment fill him and spill out onto the bond, satisfied with this little effort, both in himself and in the leopard whose instincts was sated by the change in angle.
RE: Spots do well in shadows - Kiada - 06-19-2020
She watches him from her circle, enjoying the pulses of the bond as she watches his spotted form – reciprocating the attention while simultaneously comforted by it. And when she questions about technology, she listens intently – infinitely curious about these other worlds, how advanced they had been. She’d seen castles and buildings much like the Citadel in her travels, had never seen anything like a city or a skyscraper before – she doesn’t know what to expect.
It sounds almost alien-like to her, so odd and strange that she almost doesn’t want to accept it, but she does because he’s explaining it to her. And she trusts him with almost everything she has now – enough so that the thought of talking to someone else on a tiny little device causes her circle to jitter a small amount as the surprise overtakes her avian form and she evens out. [say]A… what?[/say] She asks, though the question is accompanied with a soft laugh.
[say]Internet?[/say] She repeats, letting it mull over her mental tongue as she watches him from her idle circles hop from shelf to rafter – before lifting herself up a bit further, to plop herself down on the rafter beside him on a bit more sturdy of one just to ensure her added weight of this form wouldn’t cause it to tumble down. [say]Was it just for talking? Like… You spoke into it and heard the other person?[/say] She asks, cocking her head again. [say]We had these… Shells last LongNight that were like that.[/say]
RE: Spots do well in shadows - Chulane - 06-19-2020
He watched her fly, quietly envious that she had a form that was the master of the skies, wondering if he would ever unlock such a form for himself. She looked so elegant, so natural, like the form was simply another aspect of her put on display, a savage, brutal, wild part that he loved and admired as much as the rest of her. She settled on a rafter near him, and he shifted to ensure he had full view of her - his exploration of the room forgotten for his exploration of her.
[say]'Ah, I'll do my best to explain it. It wasn't my area of expertise, though I made use of it frequently.'[/say] He paused, gathering his thoughts, purring all the while as his tail twitched in the space beneath the rafter he deftly sat upon, placing his faith in the instincts of this form to maintain his balance with its practiced ease.
[say]'It's a bit like the attuned bond really. Our minds are connected right now, through a sort of network, that allows us to share information - thoughts, emotions. On my world technicians built things called computers, which had the ability to store and easily retrieve great amounts of information, and perform complex calculations. They were revolutionary when they came into being.'[/say] Another pause, as he chewed over the best way to explain the internet.
[say]'The internet is a vast network of many computers linked up together, able to store more information and also share it between locations. As technology evolved, it became more elegant, more convenient - the device I used to carry with me everywhere, called a smartphone, could access all of the information stored on the internet. I used it to send messages to my friends all across the world, letters that would arrive instantly, and that they would return. And if I wanted to, I could call them, hear their voice, and sometimes even see their face too.'[/say]
He smiled at the idea of using seashells as phones, strangely comforted by the idea that Caido would have its own arcane version of the internet. [say]'Do you still have them? How far apart do they work?'[/say] He would be lying if he claimed he held no anxiety about their inevitable parting sometime in the future - he would follow her for a time when the season finally broke, they had a date after all, and a family dinner, among other things. But he had commitments in Halo now too - he took the position granted to him very seriously, and intended on seeing his plans through to implementation.
But eventually, they would sleep half a world away from each other, even if only for a few nights at a time, and he was not looking forward to it at all.
RE: Spots do well in shadows - Kiada - 06-20-2020
She settles in, listening and tucking her wings in tight. For a moment, she tries tow rap her mind around the idea of it. Something like the attuned bond that could be heard across the world – a network in a sense, and yet… And yet it’s all surprising, all confusing, all far too much for her mind to comprehend. But she tries anyway, because he seems excited to explain it to her, the prospects of it, and she sidles a bit closer toward him to duck her head beneath one of the beams to tilt her head toward him.
[say]Even in a place like Halo? With all the snow?[/say] She asks, and if she were in her human form, she’d certainly have brows furrowing in her confusion. But then? Then she settles again as she mulls it over, contemplating what it meant and if something like that could be made here.
The question has a soft laugh emanating from her chest as she focuses on him, letting the sound travel down the attuned bond toward him. [say]I don’t know where they went, unfortunately. We used them last LongNight to talk between the two places we were staying.[/say] But she’d never used them. Her mother had, but that was the extent of all she knew. [say]Deimos might know though? Worth asking anyway.[/say] She flashes him an avian wink, ruffling her feathers a small amount.