[SE] The eyes don't have it

COLT

I wish words were like little toy guns
No sting, no hurting no one
Just a bang, bang rolling off your tongue

Lena

Colt was not a fan of flying. She could do it, she just didn't like it, and she made it a habit to avoid doing things she didn't like as often as she could. Life was too short and too hard to put up with more discomfort than necessary. Still, she was a practical woman, and if she was already requiring the time and expertise of Lena, she would hardly ask the skilled caretaker to come to her neck of the woods. So Colt had sucked it up and used the flying sky ship, and all it did was remind her that she stayed put in her home most of the time for a reason.

The one benefit was getting to see the Celestine.

The god-touched gardens were truly one of a kind, the least of which was their perpetual twilight that enveloped the rancher the moment she stepped into them, abandoning the bustle of the daylight hours behind her to instead shrug on this soft and serene hour forevermore. She paused after passing the threshold, a smile alighting on her lips as she breathed in deeply, picking through each fragrance of flower as they rushed to her. This was a good time of year to come here, when it was in its fullest spleandor. Though she would never trade her own dwelling, she could see why Lena was equally grounded here. 

Tempted, Colt reached out for one magnificently star-washed bloom. It'd look great tucked in her hair; a memento.

No smoke, no bullets
No kick from the trigger when you pull it
No pain, no damage done

// think of the sun that shaped them //

The Caretaker was no less busy than before; tending, mending, and assuaging to the hordes of animals amidst the enclosures. While the population was in no greater or lesser supply than before, new species had come into the realm – and with it, a vaster array of knowledge upon those portions of Climb ventures. After alleviating several beasts and bandaging a few others, she made careful notations, and then glanced at the time – aware she had a meeting to attend to.

Pushing her basket further up her shoulder, she hustled along the garden paths and the lit portions, Mittens hovering around, before extending its head upwards and rotating it around much like an owl. Eventually, she made her way back to the entrance, recognizing Colt from a distance. “Hello!” She called with a gentle wave, before advancing further, serene and tranquil but still showing the hallmarks of a day’s work already – soil-stained apron, hair beginning to stick up and away from its bun. “Welcome to the Celestine!”

Lena

// the speck of truth that's ours //

COLT

I wish words were like little toy guns
No sting, no hurting no one
Just a bang, bang rolling off your tongue

As Colt slid the heavenly blossom into her hair, tucked behind her ear, she heard the cheery greeting and spun around to behold Lena. A smile beamed across the rancher's face as she lifted her hand in greeting. "Lena, how good to see you!" Given both of their propensities to stay near their homes, she did not get to cross paths with the 'zookeeper' often, but was always glad when she did.

"It's simply stunning here," Colt could not keep the wonder from her voice as she cast another look around at the twilight-brushed flora. "You simply must give me the full tour, if you have time that is. I hope I did not catch you on a hectic day." She recognized the signs of someone who'd likely been up since dawn and hadn't rested since. She knew the look all too well, often surprised to find the state of her clothes and hair the rare times she passed a mirror midday. All the more reason she supposed Lena might be grateful for a break, although Colt suspected they also shared the belief that breaks only interrupted your workflow. It was so much harder to get going again once you finally set down and reminded your bones what rest was like.

No smoke, no bullets
No kick from the trigger when you pull it
No pain, no damage done

// think of the sun that shaped them //

While Lena could often be described as a ‘workaholic’, she also didn’t mind a simple break, to either grant tours, look in on other animals on her rotation, or wax poetical on the Celestine. “Likewise – how is King’s End?” She hadn’t made her way back in sometime – but with all the needs surrounding the area, it hadn’t been on the top of her priority list.

Granting her a wider grin, she nodded in compliance, more than eager to do so. “Of course.” Ignoring the way her hair stuck primly to the top of her face, or the soil plastered to portions of the apron worn over her dress, she made a sweeping and brief overture of the area around them. “I can take you by the enclosures, all masterfully crafted by Frey for any animals’ needs and environment, the gardens, and the office.” The last one might not be as fun, but it was where she kept necessary supplies – which she thought the rancher would be thoroughly familiar with and find intriguing, given her own lot in life. “Where do you want to start?”

Lena

// the speck of truth that's ours //

COLT

I wish words were like little toy guns
No sting, no hurting no one
Just a bang, bang rolling off your tongue

"Splendid as always," Colt beamed. "You should come by before the heat starts to set in. All the wildflowers are in bloom right now, but they start to wilt once the days become longer." Of course, she supposed Lena got her fill of beautiful flowers here, but there was something different about seeing the little pockets of color dotting the rolling green hills, bowing in the dusky breeze.

At Lena's list of tour hotspots, Colt clapped her hands together, laughing in delight. "Well, as thrilling as the office sounds, I would have to choose the enclosures first. Do you have a favorite?" She cast a knowing wink at Lena. "Don't worry, I won't tell the others who it is, cross my heart." She herself had a favorite. Just the boring old equines. Reliable, not nearly as dangerous or proud as the unicorns, and smarter than the cows. She'd had many a horse that proved to have more heart than some men, and for that they'd always have a place solidly at her side; dogs would be on the other. She was a simple woman, and she liked her animals similarly. Still, she could appreciate the majesty and power that many of the more mythical beasts boasted. In that regard, Lena was much more accomplished than she was, and her line of work, though different, was not without its risks either.

"It's foaling season for us, so I'm hoping we've got some adorable babies here to see?" Granted, that meant they or their mother was injured to some degree if they were here, so not the best sight to see really, but Colt would take the opportunity to fawn over them. Besides, they'd be back to the wilds in no time under Lena's careful guidance.

No smoke, no bullets
No kick from the trigger when you pull it
No pain, no damage done

// think of the sun that shaped them //

Lena noted the invitation with a smile, eternally grateful for the spread of King’s End’s beauty – for places and pockets to mourn with endless conviction and growth surrounding, consuming, the onslaughts of legend and wars. “Gods, hard to believe this season is already halfway through. But I’ll see if I can find time to make the trip.”

Enclosures first wasn’t a surprise, and she already made a sweeping ‘follow me’ gesture as soon as the notions were picked. “They change so often, it’s difficult to pick one,” she murmured, though a wrinkle to her nose might’ve caught the next jocular line. “Unicorns always have my heart though – as well as any starwhales, baby dragons, or blink hares….,” rotating through her fingers quickly, then shaking her head. “We do have some foals with the smaller herd,” and they would soon come upon the path notched and angled towards an enclosure and scenery that Colt would find very familiar – given that it had been altered to signify portions of King’s End.

Opening the gate, she quietly snuck both of them in. “I have to check a few bandages anyway,” and she pointed towards six unicorns nestled together, in all shades and hues, proudly watching or appearing wholly indifferent. “They must’ve been attacked by some massive predator.” Sensing the Caretaker’s appearance, several raised their heads and seemed to be considering their options, before Lena began advancing towards the group, expecting Colt to follow.

Lena

// the speck of truth that's ours //

COLT

I wish words were like little toy guns
No sting, no hurting no one
Just a bang, bang rolling off your tongue

Colt took step next to Lena as she led the way down the magical path of the Celestine, her head on an admiring swivel. "Oh my," Colt murmured after Lena listed off a variety of wonderful creatures. "It's a wonder how you can remember what it takes to look after them all. I find myself dizzy just with the herds we keep." Starwhales? They sounded majestic, but also very unlike anything Colt knew or trusted. Thankfully, Lena eased her into the tour as they took a turn and it nearly looked like home. Colt was gawking. "Gods this place is amazing," she said, mostly to herself, as she came to a stop with Lena at the gate.

She followed closer to Lena as they stepped inside, well aware this was not her rodeo. As Lena paused, Colt did so in turn, like a freshly joined-up horse. A bit behind her, Colt leaned to the side as she tried to follow Lena's arm and her line of sight. There, as haughty as ever, Colt spied the small herd of unicorns. "I shudder to think what," Colt murmured as she fell in step behind Lena, cautious around these untamed beasts. Unicorns were usually safe in their groups, given their horns were a deterrent for most hungry things. "Probably something void touched... I've seen a few infected unicorns in the Burrows."

No smoke, no bullets
No kick from the trigger when you pull it
No pain, no damage done

// think of the sun that shaped them //

“Many years of experience,” Lena offered in response. “And a lot of books. I’ve written down scores of notes on things I’ve observed – it helps to look back and check when similar things come up.” Granting another smile in response to the compliments, the Caretaker would send them towards Frey and Safrin combined, for their efforts on the wondrous gardens and enclosures.

Beginning to carry a few treats to lay out and beckon the unicorns closer, she couldn’t help the slight frown at the insinuations of other void touched creatures. “A shame – similar things have occurred with luxere as well.” She hated the thought of the gentle souls becoming something barbaric and twisted. “I’m hoping…eventually, all of that will cease.” Meaning of course, when the Family had been rendered obsolete.

But in the meantime – there they were. The unicorns started coming in, lured by apples, hay, and carrots, so that Lena could take a peek at several of the foals and the bandages wrapped around lower legs. “If you want to look at that one,” and she pointed to one child very close to its mother, but happily indulging, “and let me know if its loosened, that would be great.”

Lena

// the speck of truth that's ours //

COLT

I wish words were like little toy guns
No sting, no hurting no one
Just a bang, bang rolling off your tongue

"Ah, studying makes sense. I've just learned what's been passed down through our families over the ages." Colt said casually, neither daunted by the idea of Lena's academia nor bothered by her own tried and true methods. "I can't say any of the books I read are meant to be studied, although I still learn a thing or two." One of Colt's eyebrows raised pointedly, followed by the wide spread of a shit-eating grin.

Colt reined it in, the mood (jokes or otherwise) ruined by their chatter of the void. She shook her head at the revelation of their shared woes. Although, it did not surprise her, as she was sure her comment had not been news to Lena. The void's infection had been running rampant for some time, and its spread at times felt unchecked. Still, she had managed to evade it mostly on her ranch, until more recently, so the threat felt renewed and far too close these days. "You and me both." A murmur of hope, but there was an undertone of worry to Colt's eyes as she scanned the wounded charges.

Worry would not help either of them get anything done though, quite the opposite really, so Colt tucked it away, focusing on the foals with a quiet squeal of delight instead. Nodding at Lena's direction, Colt said, "right," and began a cautious approach towards the designated youngster. She provided soft mumbles about the babe's grace and beauty, barely above a whisper, as she extended a hand towards the mother first, then the foal, to let them sniff and feel at ease. Although she had tamed many a beast, she was familiar with most of her herd, especially the breeding stock. To come up to a strange mother and foal, well it was not without its risks. Thankfully the apples and carrots placated them thoroughly, and Colt was soon able to crouch next to the foal. She gave its withers a gentle scratch, keeping it occupied while her other hands slipped two fingers between the wrap and leg. "It's still snug," Colt said softly to Lena, cautious not to startle them while she was still so close. She eased back from them similar to her approach, and stopped to admire with a hand on her hip. "It's like they know they're here to be helped." She knew unicorns were bright, but most animals with built-in swords didn't try much to understand their source of pain; they just tended to stab first.

No smoke, no bullets
No kick from the trigger when you pull it
No pain, no damage done

// think of the sun that shaped them //

Generational knowledge was a wonderful thing to have too – and Lena nodded and grinned at that. She would be the first of her lineage to be a Caretaker; but she understood the length of traditions and stories shared, regardless of occupation, were beneficial. At her hint or joke though, the Attuned arched a brow, granting a mischievous grin but saying nothing more.

The murmurs of hope flickered through, and at least they’d always have that. Half the time Lena’s entire disposition seemed heavily reliant on that singular aspect – and determination, swift and keen. She had no doubt that eventually they’d be able to have Caido without infection or parasitic intentions. The other potential outcome was far more daunting and terrifying.

She did watch to ensure Colt was all right in the proceedings, and when she seemed to adopt a very methodical air, Lena left her to it. Tending to her own, she whispered and remained calm, a balm of many senses and circumstances, happily humming a tune under her breath as she reapplied a bandage over wounds. “Looking so much better,” she crooned, snagging at an ointment and dressing it within the layers of fabric and gauze.

The soft response was met with a nod. “I think most of the ones that end up here understand it, to some extent. Others don’t care, and some have loud opinions. But unicorns have always seemed very wise to me.” Maybe that was why they made great companions. “If you want, you can spread more of the hay out too.”

Lena

// the speck of truth that's ours //

COLT

I wish words were like little toy guns
No sting, no hurting no one
Just a bang, bang rolling off your tongue

Colt nodded along with the discussion, her eyes dancing from each unicorn to the next, admiring the unique curvature of their horns and the different shades of their coats. It was one of her joys when it came to breeding them; seeing what sort of beautiful creature might emerge as a mixture of its parents, but still uniquely its own individual. It was always a guessing game at first too, the foals coming out with a softer downy set of hair that they shed out in the first few weeks, their truer coat shining through, at times revealing previously hidden secrets. Truthfully she'd keep them all in her stables if she could, whether firecracker or shadow, lazeabout or hardworker, she cherished them each. However she was trying to run a business, and people needed travel mounts or battle mounts.

At Lena's recommendation to spread the hay, Colt moved forward to do as asked. She loosely bundled it in her arms, and carried it to a different section to space out a few more piles. These weren't necessarily herd mates, or friends, sharing this recovery enclosure. It was best to keep resources evenly distributed to avoid unnecessary conflicts. That was just another aspect to Lena's already difficult job — ensuring she balanced their health, safety, and happiness all together while constantly losing and gaining different individuals that could completely upset the balance she'd just crafted. Colt shook her head a bit at the thought, realizing she could not complain about a hard day on her ranch again, not without thinking of the industrious Lena.

"Alright, you told me your favorites, what about your least favorites?" Colt looked up from her work and grinned a bit mischievously.

No smoke, no bullets
No kick from the trigger when you pull it
No pain, no damage done

// think of the sun that shaped them //

They worked; hay spread outwards, bandages settled, medicine dispensed, and water checked. Grinning despite all the hard work, and that had been just one enclosure, Lena pinned her hair further back and out of her face as she waved Colt out, and towards new paths. “Thank you for the help,” she granted – because she snagged at any she could get. The question made her laugh though, and she led them down more gardens and routes, easing her way towards one area clearly designed to be of a more river variety. There, some glotters were already waiting – evidently eager for treats the Caretaker would be utilizing to distract them.

Leading the Accepted into this area and immediately tending to the creatures gathered at her feet, she gave a low whisper as she snagged some ointment from her basket. “I wouldn’t say I have any least favorites, but the older dragons are a handful. You can’t ever fully trust them.” She had more than enough burn scars and marks to prove it. “Luckily they’re not here very often,” as they could fend for themselves quite well. “How has ranching been going?”

Lena

// the speck of truth that's ours //

COLT

I wish words were like little toy guns
No sting, no hurting no one
Just a bang, bang rolling off your tongue

Having been in Lena's exact position, Colt was grateful to be able to add some assistance in the other direction for once. "Oh please, this is fun! I'll help you anytime." Well, anytime she could spare, which wasn't often, but she suspected the mythical zookeeper understood that perfectly.

As they moved exhibits, Colt continued to admire the surrounding flora and how suitably the areas shifted from one preferred habitat into another. The change managed not to be jarring despite it being in tighter quarters than would naturally occur, and the detail for the depth of immersion was not wanting. As they moved into river territory and slipped into the glotter pen, it felt as if she should have been tired from days of travel. "Ooooh," Colt crooned softly at the mischievous little critters, crouching down near Lena and doing her best not to slip into the temptation of wanting to stroke one. At Lena's diplomatic response, Colt snorted. "Gods, I don't consider myself a coward, but you would never find me near a dragon. At least, not with dry pants." She laughed faintly, unashamed, and rightfully so for such intimidating brutes.

Straightening up, Colt rose back to her full height, cautious of her steps around the small wriggle worms. "Oh, can barely catch a break right now," she admitted, suddenly aware of how this wonderful field trip was actually for business and that each moment here was one gone from her work. Of course, she could not run such a place alone, and it was bustling still in her absence. "Foaling season and then not long after is weaning and saddling season." There was an edge to her voice that matched the gleam in her eyes. Much as she adored the foals and seeing the efforts of the past year's orhcastrating, the stretch of breaking out the two-year-olds for riding was perhaps her favorite. It was there that you saw the personality of each individual steed shine forth, their thoughts like gears churning as they tried to build a new language with their trainer so both could speak to each other and understand. Some were quick studies, some were as dumb as rocks. Some were gentle and open to your guidance, and others seemed born fighting, rebelling for no reason other than because. Those were perhaps her favorite for the challenge they offered, and because they usually ended up the best mounts with the most heart in the end, if you could make it all the way there.

No smoke, no bullets
No kick from the trigger when you pull it
No pain, no damage done

// think of the sun that shaped them //

“Be careful if you have any gold on you,” she advised in a light whisper – and then began to snag at one close by, gently easing ointment in between webbed feet and toes. As for the dragons, she hummed lightly, diligent and calm as the glotter tried to squirrel away from her the moment the antibacterial medication began to glide on its limbs. “Then avoid the Draig as much as you can,” which was in good jest; she didn’t know many who wanted to go there in the first place. “Sometimes the Climb and Halo have the black and white versions too.” Rarities, but still, could be an occurrence nonetheless.

From one glotter to another, Lena continued moving and maneuvering around their wriggling graces. Some avoided her altogether as soon as she was done with them, though each were given a treat once their turn had been finalized. Listening all the while to Colt’s own work, the Caretaker could surmise that they had similar outlooks – busy constantly, with multitudes to do at any given circumstances or turn of the day. “Sounds like you have your hands full all the time too,” and she smiled; figuring neither of them really, truly minded.

Lena

// the speck of truth that's ours //