Return of the gourds

if you make it all wrong then i'll make it all right

There was something profoundly satisfying about the feeling of smashing the pesky vampire gourds beneath his massive paws. And so, rather than continuing to map out the fields and re-acquaint himself with the layout after having been blinded, the lion gave himself permission to take a bit of a break and release some of his pent up energy. Not normally a destructive force, with so much happening the alchemist was more than okay with giving in to his more primal instincts and letting his claws and teeth sink into the orange flesh of the strange animated vegetables.

Chasing them around the field like a gigantic golden kitten, Remi stalked, raced, chased, pounced, and eventually annihilated several gourds, which also had the effect of covering his impressive mane in a coating of orange and white seeds.

Caiside had arrived in Caido during Deepfrost, and he had left behind what would have been Longheat, which meant he had missed his favourite season. Or, the equivalent of it at least. Unfortunately he hadn’t taken into account just how violent everything in this place was. He had been trying to enjoy himself, stretch his legs, feel the autumn sun on his shifted form, and instead he came across a lion, smashing gourds into pieces. There had only been one lion he’d seen, and so he felt safe enough to saunter close, and call out. Remi? What in the world are you doing? Caiside Stand still. The forest knows where you are. You must let it find you.

if you make it all wrong then i'll make it all right

Flicking an ear, the mostly-blind lion turned towards the sound. Hardly recognizing Caiside in this shift, whatever magic let the alchemist see failed to colour the elk in any meaningful way from his surroundings. Still, Remi knew the voice, and paused his vegetable-slaughter to flash the elk a white-fanged grin.

Have you never ...? He chuckled brightly.

Picking up a gourd in his teeth (it squirmed and growled and snapped in return), the lion trotted towards the elk, halting a good 10 or see feet away. Dropping it, Remi kicked the gourd forwards sending it tumbling towards the elk.

Go on. It is one of the most satisfying things.

Of course I’ve never smashed vegetables. Caisides voice sounded almost indignant, though he couldn’t help but be intrigued by the squirming thing in Remi’s jaws. A larger, clearly more hostile version of the strange living plant he had seen tagging along with the girl at the atheneum. Stepping forward, he lifted one hoof delicately and hovered it over the hours, leaning down to take a look at it before pressing his whole weight down. The ripe flesh all but splattered beneath him. ...you weren’t wrong. Caiside admitted, a hint of annoyance in his mental voice. That is incredibly satisfying. He moves closer, looking for another one of the plants to smash. Caiside Stand still. The forest knows where you are. You must let it find you.

if you make it all wrong then i'll make it all right

The lion took no offense to the somewhat haughty tone of the elk, his waiting and white-fanged smile seeming to say wait and see.

Watching patiently as Caiside seemed to weigh the decision of whether he was going to indulge himself in an activity that seemed beneath him, the lion mentally laughed a bright melodic stream of amusement as the orange insides were happily splattered all over the grass. Last year they appeared in droves. They attacked everything. You could hardly move without one running up to bite at your ankles. As if on cue, one warbled and rolled towards the lion. Teeth gnashing and snapping, Remi easily and playfully darted away from it. Deciding he was probably too much work, it halted and set its sights on Caiside.

I've never had the chance to see them before. Caiside stamped his feet, shaking off the last of the gourds innards from his fetlocks. I missed this season here, and in my own world. The words were tinged with a wistfulness, the emotion always came whenever he thought of how long he'd been here, how much he must have missed at home. Thankfully, distraction came quickly in the form of a particularly ornery gourd that first trundled towards Remi, then, changing it mind, towards Caiside. With a snort, he lowered his head to meet the gourd, flinging it high in the air to splatter against the ground behind him. Why would they attack anything? It seems... ineffective. Caiside Stand still. The forest knows where you are. You must let it find you.

if you make it all wrong then i'll make it all right

Nothing like this where you come from? The lion asked curiously. It dawned on him that other than a bit about Jigano's home, he actually didn't know much about where anyone else hailed from.

Sitting down rather lazily, Remi flicked his tail as he watched the gourd as it was rocketed skyward thanks to the tines of Caiside's antlers, only to splat unceremoniously behind them. I have no idea. Last year they were much more aggressive than this, but even now they seem...well, just hostile. Leaning his nose forward to sniff at a bit of rind left over, the lion in him recoiled at the smell of the vegetable. You can actually cook quite delicious things with them, I learned. He added with a shrug of his tawny shoulders.

Like the plants? No. There was a laugh in Caisides silent voice. But even the season itself is different. I suppose the change is more striking in places with more trees though. The Greatwood is close, but even it can’t compare to my home. As long as Remi seemed infested, even in passing, Caiside could keep gushing about his former home. Caiside watched Remi sit, then shook his head, clearing away some errant gourd pieces from his antlers. Perhaps it’s to spread their seeds. Or... perhaps they’re just violent little beasts. He was thinking more to himself at this point, though he wouldn’t welcome opinions on his musing. Without thinking, he mirrors the lion, and leaned down to sniff at a piece of vegetable. We had plants similar to these at home. Their seeds were particularly good roasted. Caiside Stand still. The forest knows where you are. You must let it find you.

if you make it all wrong then i'll make it all right

What was it like? Remi asked, before sending through an apologetic pulse if perhaps he was overstepping. Jigano had not wanted to talk openly about his home for quite some time (though, that likely had to do more with the strange and strained relationship that he shared with the alchemist), but given the rather bland world that Remi came from, it was hard not to be infinitely curious about the other world that apparently existed beside his.

Mmmmm. I certainly know more than a few humans who seem violent by nature. Why not entire species? Remi mused with a shrug of his tawny shoulders.

Do you know Amalia, the Baker? Remi wonders, turning a fractured golden state towards the elk. I wonder if she has cooked with them before...and if she has, if she would make us something of we brought her back some seeds.The alchemist thought the answer to both questions would be yes.

Delight radiated off Caiside when Remi asked what his home had been like. Dyosh’ana. It’s beautiful, and boundless, and I have travelled nearly every corner of it. There was a wistfulness in Caisides voice, though talking about his lost home no longer elicited the same painful twinge in his chest that it once had. My favourite place was far to the north. There was a very old village, nestled at the foot of a volcano. He didn’t know how exactly the telepathy worked between attuned, but he tried to broadcast the memory of a simple stone in a rocky tundra, hardy flowers blooming and elk milling about. The notion of a whole species of creatures being violent was met with a snort. In his experience, there was a reason for behaviour, but this was not his world, and he supposed things didn’t have to follow his rules. What an irritating realization. Amalia...? Caiside echoed the familiar name, trying to put a face to it. Baker didn’t help him at first, but managed to shake loose a vague recollection. Shes in the loreseekers guild, isn’t she? I believe I’ve met her a few times. He should go pay her a visit, make a proper introduction. He could stand to be in the good graces of one of his fellow guild members. And what better excuse than this? Theres no way we’ll know unless we go ask. How much do you think she’d need to make something good? Caiside Stand still. The forest knows where you are. You must let it find you.

if you make it all wrong then i'll make it all right

A volcano? The lion wondered head tilted slightly with confusion. They didn't have that sort of topography in Northaven, nor in any of the lands Remi and his father had travelled to in Northwind. Through the link Remi couldn't see what Caiside was projection, but he could feel a sense of scale, which only made him all the more curious. Though Northaven hadn't mountains, Remi had certainly read about them. Is it like..a mountain?

Nodding instantly—he might have led with Loreseeker rather than Baker had he known Caiside too was in the bard's guild—the lion flashed the elk a smile.

I think she can make something good with almost anything, but I think a few should do? Glancing around at a few of the gourds still ambling towards them, the lion frowned ( as much as his facial features would allow for, anyways). I wonder if it would be better to keep them...as intact as possible.. Lips twitching slightly Remi tried to think of a way of rendering the gourds immobile without obliterating them completely.

When it’s quiet it’s like a mountain. But when it’s awake, it’s as if the world is on fire. Despite the grim description, there was a quiet awe in Caiside’s tone. I’ve seen it wake up close, and there is no comparison. It’s... have you ever held your hands over your ears, and heard the rumbling of your body? Imagine that sound all around you, like the beating heart of the world. He sighed wistfully, and shook his body. Was there not anything like that in your home? Leaning down to sniff again at the mashed gourd near his hooves. Caiside was sure they had to be mashed down at some point in the process, but he wasn’t really a baker. Whole is... probably better. He ambled closer to Remi and the patch of gourds, watching one particularly ambitious plant amble up to him. Caiside lifted a hoof and brought it down with enough force to hold the nasty beast at bay without completely crushing it. Perhaps if we break it carefully. As he thought it, he applied pressure, cracking the skin of the gourd until it stopped moving. Caiside Stand still. The forest knows where you are. You must let it find you.

if you make it all wrong then i'll make it all right

The alchemist listened, letting his mind stretch out and grow blank for Caiside's words to impart imagery on like a canvas. Nodding at the description of sounds, the lion's own maw dropped open as he tried to recreate the vastness that the elk was remembering. That sounds...terrifying. Beautiful too perhaps, but a world on fire? Slowly, the lion shook his head. No, nothing like that at all. For all its magic, Northaven was apparently quite a tame world compared to that which Caiside had come from. Or at least, not that I saw. There was a vast wall around the city where I spent my last few years. We were not really allowed to leave. What the world was like beyond that was...a mystery.

The lion watched with a deep but shattered amber gaze as the elk slowly crushed the gourd to death. Willing to give this method a try, he trotted towards a gourd already rolling in his direction. Pouncing on it as carefully as possible—his intent to crush it slowly with his paws—he simply ended up squishing it entirely and covering himself in orange goop.

Mmmmm. He hummed with amusement. You seem much better at this than I.

It is both. If Caiside has managed to impart even a fraction of the majesty on the other man, and it seems like he has, then he can be happy with what he’s said. As Remi starts speaking, his heavy head tips to the side. The other mans world, at least the parts of it he describes, seem bland and dull. There were walled cities in my home as well, though only one barred entry or exit. It must be a relief to have some freedom now though, isn’t it? With the gourd defeated but not crushed, Caiside lifted his foot and daintily nudged the unmoving vegetable out of harms way, then waited for the next one to come at him. The other mans attempt made him snort, a bright laugh bursting from his mind. Looks like I’m going to be the only one with baked goods. He teased gently. Caiside Stand still. The forest knows where you are. You must let it find you.