While Deimos and Loren spoke the owl watched them balefully, trusting neither human so near her home. The tree was a good one for the perch, but not so good for nesting – not anymore, putting the pair too close to the ground and potentially cheeky predators like wolves and mountain lions that might try to make a meal of a wounded bird and his mate.
It was while the men were discussing that a faint sound began to trickle through the air, just barely heard in the silences between words. It was easy to miss at first, but the owl began to shift on her claws uneasily, rotating her head to look over her shoulder and then back to the two men again. By the time Loren had finished his suggestion they would hear it for certain, distant but growing nearer. A song, its words still lost to the snow, hauntingly beautiful wafting through the Deepfrost air…
”You may be right,” the bard admitted a touch ruefully at Hotaru’s teasing. The blight might still curl through his veins and twist his emotions down the darkest of paths, but the petite warrior’s sunny disposition was wearing away some of the tarnish and his mood and manner were visibly improving as they worked together as well as two strangers could be expected to. He appreciated her patience, too, in not pushing at the still-raw loss of his fiery young friend, and though they were mostly quiet while they worked, he didn’t find it to be an uncomfortable silence.
Soon they had managed two large sections of trunk that were roughly the same length, and smoothed of their branches. Jigano had just finished his end and Hotaru was nearly done with hers when the blonde’s voice came out with the unnatural calmness of someone unsure of how much danger they were actually in. The bard straightened to look at her, cautious and curious, but for the first time that day a genuine smile broke across his expression, stripping years and lightening the shadows that the blight had carved into his face. ”I would love to,” he murmured, stepping slowly closer and beginning to hum a soothing song. The lullaby wasn’t technically necessary as he reached out with his mind to soothe and coax the chilled serpent into ceasing its attempts to burrow. When he reached Hotaru’s side he held out a hand and the snake slithered docilely over at his coaxing, taking refuge in his voluminous sleeve. ”She’s a hanging snake,” he explained, shifting her slightly so she was more comfortably curled around his arm. She wouldn’t be able to stay there long, but for now he was happy to share what little warmth his blight-chilled skin could produce with her. ”Harmless, friendly, and often found in travelers’ packs or clothing after a day spent in the woods. We probably woke her up from her midwinter nap with our chopping and she came down to say hello.” He grinned at Hotaru and then gestured back towards their tree. ”Shall we see if we can get these loaded up on the sleds? Any suggestions for making it easier?” They were still big, heavy slabs of wood, even if they had reduced them down to far more manageable sizes!
Hotaru survives the attack of thedeadly friendly hanging snake! Let’s get those sleds loaded up.
Loren and Deimos hear distant singing. Whatever they decide they should probably be quick about it...
Posting Order:
None!
It was while the men were discussing that a faint sound began to trickle through the air, just barely heard in the silences between words. It was easy to miss at first, but the owl began to shift on her claws uneasily, rotating her head to look over her shoulder and then back to the two men again. By the time Loren had finished his suggestion they would hear it for certain, distant but growing nearer. A song, its words still lost to the snow, hauntingly beautiful wafting through the Deepfrost air…
”You may be right,” the bard admitted a touch ruefully at Hotaru’s teasing. The blight might still curl through his veins and twist his emotions down the darkest of paths, but the petite warrior’s sunny disposition was wearing away some of the tarnish and his mood and manner were visibly improving as they worked together as well as two strangers could be expected to. He appreciated her patience, too, in not pushing at the still-raw loss of his fiery young friend, and though they were mostly quiet while they worked, he didn’t find it to be an uncomfortable silence.
Soon they had managed two large sections of trunk that were roughly the same length, and smoothed of their branches. Jigano had just finished his end and Hotaru was nearly done with hers when the blonde’s voice came out with the unnatural calmness of someone unsure of how much danger they were actually in. The bard straightened to look at her, cautious and curious, but for the first time that day a genuine smile broke across his expression, stripping years and lightening the shadows that the blight had carved into his face. ”I would love to,” he murmured, stepping slowly closer and beginning to hum a soothing song. The lullaby wasn’t technically necessary as he reached out with his mind to soothe and coax the chilled serpent into ceasing its attempts to burrow. When he reached Hotaru’s side he held out a hand and the snake slithered docilely over at his coaxing, taking refuge in his voluminous sleeve. ”She’s a hanging snake,” he explained, shifting her slightly so she was more comfortably curled around his arm. She wouldn’t be able to stay there long, but for now he was happy to share what little warmth his blight-chilled skin could produce with her. ”Harmless, friendly, and often found in travelers’ packs or clothing after a day spent in the woods. We probably woke her up from her midwinter nap with our chopping and she came down to say hello.” He grinned at Hotaru and then gestured back towards their tree. ”Shall we see if we can get these loaded up on the sleds? Any suggestions for making it easier?” They were still big, heavy slabs of wood, even if they had reduced them down to far more manageable sizes!
Hotaru survives the attack of the
Loren and Deimos hear distant singing. Whatever they decide they should probably be quick about it...
None!
