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+---- Thread: (SE) between reality and pretend (/showthread.php?tid=4173)
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(SE) between reality and pretend - Loren - 09-07-2020
Loren was straight up not having a good time. Not quite sure what the problem was, he'd retreated almost entirely into his newest shift. The bulk and resistance of the lion brought him some small measure of comfort.
Plus, the shift was fundamentally lazy, which tracked with his current mood. He wanted nothing more than to laze about, nap, and try to get some relief from the fog in his mind and the ever present thirst. He would've stayed at the Kraai, but Neron's words kept echoing in the Firebrand's mind: "No lions in the Kraai."
Scars marred his fur, but even so it was clear from the metallic sheen and from his sheer size that he was no normal lion. He ignored the stares of passerby. Instead, tongue lolling out, he stared indirectly at the sun, trying to draw its warmth into him.
His body shivered every now and then, causing his mane to ruffle. Every once in a while, he'd paw at the ground as a shadow spooked him, a growl erupting from his throat. Most of the time, though, he just yawned and lay on the ground, unmoving.
RE: (SE) between reality and pretend - Chulane - 09-09-2020
There was something about big cats in Halo that always drew attention. The frozen tundrascape was home to few native species, and so it was easy to draw the conclusion that any were actually a shifted attuned. Noah had his lynx shift, Chuy his leopard. And Loren?
The vet hadn't seen this shift before, but had heard enough talk of it to be somewhat aware of its existence. He was in the skies today - the wedge-tailed eagle was a favourite shift of his, though shifting in general had become something he'd taken a break from, as he struggled to keep his emotions in check over the attuned bond due to… recent events.
But he was practiced at tucking away those uncomfortable emotions before he'd even portalled to Caido. Old habits and all that - for all intents and purposes, Chuy was the same steady, if slightly less jovial, bloke he always had been.
[say]'Loren?'[/say] Came the inquiry, the question sent over the bond, directed to the shimmering lion below - he watched as the big feline swiped lazily at the shadow of his form as it circled above him. A gentle pulse of amusement followed the question, subtle but more present than it has been in a while.
RE: (SE) between reality and pretend - Loren - 09-09-2020
The latest shadow was stubbornly not fleeing at Loren's efforts. It was vaguely birdlike and it drifted across the ground with an odd gliding motion. Swiping at the ground it rested on, he tore up huge chunks of snow. However, it escaped him and he growled at it, gathering his body to pounce.
Which was how he froze when the thought intruded in the fog of his mind. [say]Who?![/say] His own response felt like it came from a long way away, as if filtered through cotton wool. Shaking his head, he collapsed onto the ground again. [say]Chu...Chulane? What...how...where are you? Where am I?[/say] He lifted his gaze and stared around at the white landscape before him. As he did, his shivers intensified.
To put to rest any doubt about the identity of the lion, Astra trotted up from where she'd been inspecting a stall. Bleating, she looked up at the eagle far above. Then she tucked herself against the healer's side. Slowly, he settled onto the ground again. Shutting his eyes, he tried to block out everything.
RE: (SE) between reality and pretend - Chulane - 09-10-2020
Amusement grew, as he watched the lion chase his shadow, as the frustration became evident. But Chulane read the frustration as play, as engagement in a game. It wasn't until he heard the return messages that he wondered if something more was at play.
And if something more was at play, he felt a slow sinking feeling settle in his stomach. It hadn't been the first time this season that he'd encountered individuals suffering from strange 'symptoms', if they could even be labelled that.
It was the foggy, confused, mismatched and scattered thoughts that trickled through to him that really stirred up his concern. [say]'I'm here,'[/say] he landed before the lion and the luxere, tucking his wings in close, letting his sharp avian stare look over the feline with an intense scrutiny.
[say]'You're in Snowcloak, Loren,'[/say] he supplied, beaming his own voice out loud and clear, hoping to anchor and secure the other attuned in this reality, and out of whatever one had seemingly taken over him. Internally, he sighed. He'd have to speak to Morgan about this.
RE: (SE) between reality and pretend - Loren - 09-10-2020
Shaking his head again, the movement causing his mane to ruffle, Loren let out a little whining sound. His fur was matted and dirty looking, despite the beautiful metallic sheen. He pawed at the shadow again before slumping down into the snow. [say]Where's here?[/say] He cast his gaze about, causing some of the passerby to back away.
Astra bleated as Chulane landed. Trotting over to the vet, she made a circle around the eagle, inspecting him fully. The lion fixed his eyes on the other man. For a moment, at least: after a second they began to drift away. [say]That doesn't make sense. How would it keep you warm?[/say]
RE: (SE) between reality and pretend - Chulane - 09-11-2020
He hopped closer, keeping his wings slightly lifted from his sides, that he might be more agile should he misjudge and get too close to the lion, whose claws and teeth he was very aware of. Normally, he wouldn't be worried, he'd have confidence that as a fellow attuned, Loren wasn't about to turn claws and teeth against him without due cause.
But Loren wasn't well. And as Chulane considered what he heard over the bond, the types of questions Loren was asking, he thought it best to keep his distance. He whistled a short note of greeting to Astra - Auni was lingering near his home, several blocks away currently, and Chulane had no desire to draw him closer to this.
[say]'Where do you think you are?'[/say] he asked, trying to tug the lion's attention back. He knew this shift of Loren's was not a normal lion, but he also wasn't sure if that was a 'symptom' or not. [say]'Do you feel warm right now, Loren?'[/say] he added, not game enough to touch, to risk himself against a foe quite as large and powerful as the lion when his own form was, in comparison, easy to squish, like a housecat might squish a sparrow.
RE: (SE) between reality and pretend - Loren - 09-11-2020
Loren eyed Chulane as the eagle came closer. However, the lion made no move towards the vet. Instead, the healer just yawned again and shifted a bit before settling into the snow again. Astra, though, stirred from her spot and trotted towards the other man, bleating as she did. She placed herself between the Firebrand and Chulane.
Not responding right away Loren looked around. [say]I don't...I don't know. It's so bright. Why is it so bright?[/say] Growling, he put his paws over his eyes, body shaking as he did.
[say]I feel warm. But...not warm enough. Maybe...maybe if there was a fire![/say] Trying to get to his feet and failing, he opened his mouth to scent the air around him.
Then he cocked his head to one side. [say]They said they can take me to a fire.[/say] Turning in a circle, he whined before collapsing to the ground again.
RE: (SE) between reality and pretend - Chulane - 09-11-2020
What was Halo meant to do when their Grand Healer was sick?
Apparently, refer to the Chief of Agriculture, who also happened to be a vet, on a previous world, and whose immediate reaction was to ask: Can I lock the sick away in a secure stall, keep them watered and throw food at them until they're better?
It worked for horses, usually.
[say]'Who said that, Loren?'[/say] His voice resounded loudly across the bond, demanding an answer from the delirious mind it was sent to. He was trying to discern who Loren was seeing, where he thought he was, that he might use it to get the sick attuned elsewhere with little argument.
[say]'We're going to go for a walk,'[/say] he informed the other, huffing through his sharp beak, hopping forward again to give Astra a gentle touch with his wing. What must it be like, to be bonded to a sick individual, he wondered?
[say]'Try and follow me,'[/say] he instructed to the lion, hopping closer before spreading his wings and flapping them in the lion's face, to get his attention and perhaps stir some action - landing several paces down the street. He'd repeat this as much as was needed, until they made it to his house.
RE: (SE) between reality and pretend - Loren - 09-11-2020
Loren lifted his head and stared into the sky. [say]The singers. Can't you hear them?[/say] Shifting so he could fix his gaze on Chulane, the lion added, [say]They come on the wind. Little sparklers with the most beautiful voices.[/say] He shifted from one side to the other in a rhythm only he could hear.
[say]Why? Where?[/say] He growled and pawed at the ground. Eying the eagle as it came closer, the healer went still as the breeze ruffled his face and mane. [say]That felt nice.[/say]
Waiting a few moment after the vet left, the Firebrand finally stirred. Astra was already trotting after the other man, and Loren followed them as best he could. It wasn't very good: he stumbled and slammed into walls and stalls as he went, causing people to scatter. However, they made progress.
RE: (SE) between reality and pretend - Chulane - 09-12-2020
The vet beamed out apologies to the attuned among them for the lion's stumbling, clumsy motions. But it was a necessary inconvenience - he had to get the healer into a home, where he might have better luck convincing him to shift back to human, and treat him.
Though, in reality, he was almost more comfortable treating the lion shifted version of Loren than the human one. It was something he had talked about with Kia, and the memory of it almost made him internally smile - before it made him ache with grief all over again.
He kept going, flapping towards the lion to capture its attention again before hopping down the street. Progress was slow, but it was there. [say]'They are beautiful,'[/say] he echoed the lion's thoughts, even if he couldn't hear the tune Loren could - he let the Firebrand have his delusion.
Slowly, excruciatingly slowly, they got through town, to the doorstep of Chuy's house, where he realised he didn't really have a plan as to what to do next. Did he get the lion inside, somehow, and risk having his place of living trashed? Did he convince the attuned to shift back to human form, and go from there?
Perhaps it was enough to simply have Loren here, at the doorstep. [say]'Lie in the snow,'[/say] he instructed, hopping into the pile of snow beside his house, before flapping and making to blow cool air at the lion once more - he had seemed to like that before. [say]'Are you thirsty?'[/say]
RE: (SE) between reality and pretend - Loren - 09-12-2020
Loren halted it his tracks, though he stumbled a bit before finally coming to a stop. [say]You can see them too?[/say] Turning in a circle, he stared up at the sky. [say]Nobody else can. They keep saying I'm hallucinating.[/say] He growled.
Completing the circle, he followed Chulane. When they arrived at the eagle's home, the lion eyed it. Following the vet's suggestion, the healer settled into the nearest snowdrift. [say]Gods yes. I'm so thirsty.[/say] He licked his lips. [say]Do you have something I can drink?[/say]
Then he snarled. [say]Not water. Never water.[/say] He swiped at the snow that the other man was perched opn, sending it flying. However, it started to crawl back into place, the memory snow resisting the Firebrand's manipulations. He batted at it again, growling.
RE: (SE) between reality and pretend - Chulane - 09-15-2020
Oh, you're definitely hallucinating mate, Chulane thought to himself, decidedly not sharing it with Loren. Instead, he simply sent a sense of awe and reassurance, watching as the lion settled into the snowdrift. At confirmation of being thirsty, he almost suggested the lion take a bite of the snow he had plopped down on - until that idea was shot down in a swift swipe of a large paw.
The eagle fluttered off his perch, landing nearby with his feathers very much ruffled, a snow squawk sounding in complaint at the action. If this form could frown, it would be. Thirst was apparently quite a common symptom.
[say]'What about cider?'[/say] he questioned, trying to think of what options he had to offer the healer as an alternative to water, or snow. Silently, he thanked the gods that Loren was not an ascended… He'd had about enough of dealing with ascended thirst for a while. [say]'Why not water?'[/say] he wanted to know why this illness seemed to demand thirst and yet give the host a hatred for the substance that would solve that thirst. Was it the taste? The temperature? The texture?
Perhaps he could come up with a way to rehydrate the ill without them knowing.
RE: (SE) between reality and pretend - Loren - 09-15-2020
The memory snow eventually gave up. Loren stared at it for a while longer just to make sure it had been properly cowed into submission. When Chulane asked his question, the lion's entire body shuddered. [say]I don't know. It's just...wrong. It's out to get me, I know it.[/say] Spinning in a circle, he snarled at all the nearby snowdrifts.
Still, he was tired. Soon enough, he yawned again and settled to the icy ground. Astra bleated and pressed herself against his side. Not responding to the eagle's question right away, the healer lifted his head from his paws to look at the vet. [say]Doesn't cider have water in it?[/say]
RE: (SE) between reality and pretend - Chulane - 09-16-2020
The eagle was on high alert, anxious and ready to react should the lion turn violent. But then, he wasn't even sure what he'd do if Loren went that way. Still, he watched as the healer paced and circled and eventually fell back down, grumbling all the while about water that he so clearly craved, but apparently could not stand.
[say]'It's mostly apple,'[/say] the vet supplied helpfully, deciding not to mention the dreaded water again, hoping he could convince the lion to drink something. Dehydration was a key risk with any illness, but one that made the ill both thirsty and opposed to water seemed especially cruel.
[say]'Do you want to try it?'[/say] he asked, hopping towards his door, prepared to shift and fetch some if the lion agreed to try.