[SE]Little drops of hope

Huginn, Muninn | See and Hear. | Whisper all | In Odin's ear.

Rance had been happy to leave the Greatwood behind when Maea led him out of it. The mysterious and dangerous forest probably held no more secrets than the forest he had left behind in his own world, inhabited by Hidden and spirits as it had been. However, Rance didn’t know the secrets of these woods, didn’t know what creatures or Fae he might accidentally insult or harm by taking the wrong path. The very trees moved against strangers, like some sort of Sidhe trick. No, better to be in the Hollowed Grounds, where he could at least somewhat predict what might be coming at him, even if would be a while before he got used to humans treating magic as common place.

No long after his arrival and subsequent departure from the Greatwood, however, Rance found curiosity drawing him back. He’d heard rumors of waters that told the future, or held snippets of fate beneath their surface. While Rance didn’t regularly believe in either fate or the ability to predict events to come, this time the idea tugged at him. He’d felt uncommonly lost since landing on Caido. Getting a job with Sunjata helped, as did spending time in the Atheneum, but with everything familiar ripped out from under him, he was, perhaps, a little desperate for the hope of something solid to cling to. A branch to perch on in the storm.

So, after a heavy rain, he went seeking puddles. He flew to the Greatwood this time, skipping the arduous trip of getting lost the second he entered the forest by not walking into it at all. Even then, he didn’t dare stray too far, not wanting to get lost for another three days. It was near the banks of the Stonesong, that great river Maea had pointed out, that Rance found a scattering of small pools. Barely even that, just dips between clusters of tree roots that had filled with the water dripping from the trees above. He could hear waters rushing as he landed and transformed into human form, the river visible beyond the tree line.

and yes i've been changing. for me, not for you

Oliver was one of those people who wanted to learn as much as possible about the culture and lore of Caido. If he was supposed to reside here for the rest of his life, might as well understand it and become involved. It was one of these instances that he heard of magical water, one that could predict your future or tell a story or something. Oliver only really heard snippets between others conversing and didn't have a real opportunity to inquire for more details. Still, this was just enough information for him to go seek it out.

Venturing into the Greatwood, the path had become normal by now. It was easy to find his way through the foliage seeing as he had visited there so much lately. Looking around, he caught sight of an individual, one that wasn't a Fae. This seemed interesting enough and even if the person proved to be a danger, Oliver felt safe enough to defend himself against any attack. After all, he did have magic, a leopard shift, and a blade on him. What's the worse that could happen?

Approaching the figure, he called out. "Hello? What are you doing out here?" Mostly to see if there were other things happening that he may not know about yet.

smile for the camera, it's just a shot in the dark

Huginn, Muninn | See and Hear. | Whisper all | In Odin's ear.

Oliver would see a tall, lithe man, with broad shoulders and narrow hips, long legs clad in faded black leather and ending in well-worn leather boots. His shirt and jacket were equally faded charcoal grey or black. He wore no weapons — never had, didn’t even know how to use one, though Oliver wouldn’t know that — and carried no pack.

While Rance had prepared for the possibility of meeting irritated Fae, rambling beasts, even belligerent trees, meeting another non-Fae hadn’t been on his list of possibilities. Which, why wouldn’t there be others out hunting for magical puddles as well? Rance, stiffened, the corner of his mouth pulling tight for a second in the only outward sign of surprise. He reached up and ran a hand through short, tousled auburn hair, turning his bright blue eyes toward the newcomer. He hooked the thumb of his other hand on the waist of his trousers. He was trying to look unconcerned even while muscles tensed to take flight should the situation turn dangerous.

“Likely the same as you. Lookin’ for magical puddles.” He swept his gaze over the stranger, noting his weapon along with his appearance. Small, blonde, and cute enough to be disarming if Rance hadn’t met so many small, dangerous Hidden folk back home.

and yes i've been changing. for me, not for you

Oliver would proceed to inspect the man intently. Looking up his entire body, searching for a possible place to hide a weapon. The man had no pack on him, meaning he either lived nearby or didn't plan on being out for long. Oliver didn't think it was incredibly wise, one should always have something on them just in case they were to be injured or stranded. The man himself wasn't too threatening judging by his build, but his height could lead to problems. His mannerisms were slow and non threatening, so maybe all would be well?

When he spoke, his voice was a lot calmer than Oliver expected. Slowly, his shoulders relaxed and he took a couple of steps forward. "Have you found any yet? I've been out of luck so far." Step by step, he made his way closer to the stranger, still clearly a bit cautious. "I'm Oliver." No hand outstretched, not for now. While it would be the most respectful thing to do, Oliver was going to remain cautious.

smile for the camera, it's just a shot in the dark

Huginn, Muninn | See and Hear. | Whisper all | In Odin's ear.

It was probably better that Oliver hadn’t offered a handshake. Rance was familiar with the gesture, of course, he’d spent too much time with humans not to be, but he wasn’t a big fan of letting anyone get a hold of him in a situation he couldn’t control. He didn’t miss the way the blond — Oliver, and wasn’t that name familiar — relaxed, clearly judging — correctly — that Rance wasn’t going to attack him. Rance shrugged, his hand dropping from his hair to rest on his other hip.

“Rance,” The red-head replied with a nod of greeting, offering only as much as he was given. He still didn’t know what the fae looked like on this world and he wasn’t going to chance giving his full name to one accidentally. “I don’t know if they’re vision-granting, but I was headed for those over there.” He nodded his head toward the puddles a few yards away between broad-branched trees, never taking his eyes off Oliver. He shifted on his feet, though the move was more restlessness and preparing to step away gain than anything intentionally hostile. “None of the rumors I heard said we have to be alone when we look at ‘em, so you’re free to join me.”

and yes i've been changing. for me, not for you

The name rang in his ears and Oliver blinked, realizing that he knew the name. Could there be multiple people named Rance? Surely yes, and maybe it's just a coincidence. It would've been helpful if Oliver had seen the man shift, but there was right now no hints to whether he was an attuned or not. These thoughts were pushed away slightly, seeing as Rance was now talking again. "Even if they are not, then some should be nearby, I'd assume." Since, well, logic would show that the puddles would be somewhere. Eventually.

There is a shift of his eyes and a faint smile, his lips upturning just at the corners. "Joining you would be fantastic, thank you." Even though the offer was fantastic, that didn't mean his thoughts weren't still circling around the name Rance. It was a biting thought and at this point, he saw it as a positive if this was the same man. It would give them a common ground and at least would add some familiarity to him. "Apologies if I am wrong- but by any chance are you an attuned? With a crow for a shift?" It came out soft, showing a small lack of confidence. Already he felt vulnerable and afraid that he had offended the man. Hopefully he was right and that this wasn't a coincidence, that he and the man had met once more, if only briefly.

smile for the camera, it's just a shot in the dark

Huginn, Muninn | See and Hear. | Whisper all | In Odin's ear.

Rance still wasn’t sure how much he could trust a seemingly friendly traveler in the woods, but Oliver hadn’t tried to rob him yet, so that was something in his favor. And having the proximity of the fortune-telling pools of water confirmed made him feel a little safer in his choice to land here. He hadn’t expected to be thanked for his invitation — it wasn’t as if Rance had any finders rights over a damned puddle — but the unexpected politeness and smile had a corner of Rance’s mouth kicking up as well. “Yeah, no problem.”

The politeness continued and with a question that had his brows rising, then dropping as his smile became a brief wince. He wasn’t offended, not really. There were far too many people who couldn’t tell the difference between crows and their much larger cousins. It probably helped that Oliver had approached the question so cautiously. “Raven. Crows are less than half my size.” The question combined with the man’s name and voice all clicked together in Rance’s head and his expression opened up again, this time with surprise. “Wait — spotted cat? In that Deimos guy’s hunting party?” The one who’d screamed bloody murder about snakes and gotten the second round of the belligerent pheasants?

and yes i've been changing. for me, not for you

There is a clear widening of his eyes once Oliver realizes his mistake. "I'm sorry." His voice was quieter than it had been before. Great job Oliver. He had his excuses, of course, but he knew better than to just spout them out. It would probably only make things far worse. "At least I won't make the mistake again?" It was a clear attempt at a joke to diffuse any anger that the other man could be experiencing. Obviously, Oliver felt pretty bad since who knows how Rance felt about it.

Hoping that there was no bad feelings, Oliver chose to try and continue on with- a strange question from Rance. "Oh uh- yes. Yes, I was the spotted cat...not the black one, the smaller one." Seeing as Sunjata did have tiny little spots on him, he might as well try and be as clear as possible. "I am a leopard of sorts? Not really sure what exactly I am." All he knew was that he was not the same leopard as Sunjata. As well, he wasn't a normal leopard either, seeing as they were much larger and not as... cute?

"Here uh- what do you want to find out from the puddle? Do we ask it a question and get our fortune told or something?"

smile for the camera, it's just a shot in the dark

Huginn, Muninn | See and Hear. | Whisper all | In Odin's ear.

Rance’s expression loosened at the apology and he shrugged. “Yeah, there’s that. Don’t worry about it.” Rance certainly wasn’t. Whatever annoyance he might have felt was washed away by Oliver’s obvious regret. Of course, there was always a chance that he’d intended the insult, but that chance was so small that Rance didn’t even seriously consider it.

Surprise changed into recognition and amusement as the blond answered his questions, nodding in understanding as he clarified which ‘leopard’. “I thought I recognized your voice. I don’t know what a ‘leopard’ is, so I wouldn’t have known that you were the same sort if you hadn’t said. So, at least I won’t make that mistake either?” His echoing of Oliver’s earlier statement was intentional, but there was nothing mocking in his tone, it was just his way of trying to let Oliver know that he understood.

At the next set of questions, Rance turned back int the direction he’d originally been heading, though he waited for Oliver to catch up before walking on. “You know as much as I do. Guess it’s supposed to show you a vision or somethin’?” Rance shrugged again. “I was lookin’ for… a little guidance, I guess. Maybe something to look forward to, or a damned goal.” He huffed a laugh.

and yes i've been changing. for me, not for you

Hopefully that truly was the end of it as Oliver genuinely felt pretty bad. It hadn't occurred to him that someone would be upset over getting a shift wrong until the moment that he actually was incorrect. He felt pretty bad and could only hope that Rance wouldn't hold it against him in the future. After all, they had only really met once before, if that even counts as a meeting.

There is the faintest of smiles on Oliver's face at Rance's next comment. "Really? They're big, spotted cats." He offers the man a soft smile now, hoping that any of their problems had been reconciled. Oliver knew what a Raven was but messed up and Rance didn't know what a leopard was at all. Both were incorrect in some way so hopefully, there would be no hard feelings going on.

Following after the darker haired man, Oliver watched him with keen eyes. His search was understandable and hell, even Oliver was still searching for that. "Damn... I was gonna ask something kinda similar. I wanted to know what to do next in life, you know? I've established myself here and I've tried to help others- but that's it. I haven't really done something big. I want to make a name for myself... so maybe these puddles or water things are going to help me?" His face turned a light pink and quickly, Oliver turned hi head away. Way to go with oversharing, Oliver. "Sorry... talked a bit too much there."

smile for the camera, it's just a shot in the dark

Huginn, Muninn | See and Hear. | Whisper all | In Odin's ear.

"And now I know,” Rance replied, flashing a grin. Someone who turned into a cat that size really shouldn’t be so shy, in Rance’s opinion. But, by that same token, it was probably better that he didn’t instead see Rance as prey. Not that every Attuned thought in the same terms about their animal forms, he was slowly coming to realize.

Rance listened to Oliver’s goals for the puddle visit, carefully picking over the tree roots to where he’d spotted the pools of water. The apology and blush at the end brought had Rance huffing a slightly amused breath. Oh, if only they’d been at a bar, or a town dance, or anywhere that wasn’t in the middle of a dangerous forest. The was no missing that Oliver was cute and there was no denying the brief image of those cheeks blushing for another reason entirely. But they had a goal and this really wasn’t the place to be finding hookups. So, he pretended not to have heard the apology and replied, "Established yourself here? As in, the Greatwood? I thought only fae lived around here.” Of course, he hadn’t met any of the local fae, yet, so who was to say Oliver wasn’t one? "And you might want to be careful with wishes like that, a god might here you.” No matter what world, Rance wasn’t going to start believing that drawing the gods’ notice was a good thing any time soon.

and yes i've been changing. for me, not for you

If only Oliver had known the inner feelings that his companion was dealing with. It must be lucky for the two of them that neither were in their animal forms, that both seemed unable to communicate with fellow attuned as a human. It would most likely spare each other from their emotions that they were both experiencing. It wasn't a lie that Oliver found Rance to be absolutely attractive, nor was it a lie that he most likely would accept the offer of a fling- to enjoy himself. Unfortunately, just like how Rance thought, it wouldn't be the best place to really do such a thing. Oliver had hooked-up in the middle of the settlement, but a dangerous forest was a bit too distant for him to agree.

Letting out a soft hum, Oliver shook his head, biting down on his lip. "No. I mean just Caido in general, really." He had forgotten momentarily where he had found himself, the land that he had come to. There is a playful smile towards the next comment. "Trust me, I know to be careful. I tend to only speak with one of the gods for that very reason." He had learned to not mess with Frey due to his disastrous encounter and he had yet to have any reason to see Ludo, so he saw absolutely no point to speak to it. Safrin had his heart and he trusted her.

"I guess the best way to put it is that... I have helped out as much as I can, but I also don't really have a notable role. I hope that I can find my next step in life, now that I feel like I can live in Caido." It was said in a light tone, showing that it was something Oliver had thought about a lot, but it also wasn't hurting him, not anymore at least. He had grown to accept his new life and had done as much as he could to adapt to it. Now, he needed something new to do.

smile for the camera, it's just a shot in the dark

Huginn, Muninn | See and Hear. | Whisper all | In Odin's ear.

Oliver’s first response has Rance’s brows arched in surprise. Another Outlander, then? He seemed to be running into a lot of them. Then again, maybe it was just natural for people who were out of place to recognize something in each other. What was the saying ‘like-minded people often find each other’? He nodded at hearing a healthy fear of the gods’ attention. “Speakin’ to the gods at all still seems pretty strange to me, but I’ve been told it’s not all that weird around here.”

And Oliver had obviously arrived some time ago, like Jigano and Sunjata. Funny how he was gradually meeting everyone he’d hunted with.... The sentiment was one Rance had encountered before is people who had left their homes for ‘greater things’ but the degree of separation between home and the ‘things’ was certainly larger in this case. Not to mention, Oliver seemed a little better equipped to deal with what the new world could and would throw at him. “You’re a step ahead of me, then. I might have to make a life in Caido now, but actually ‘living’ here is still very much a fuckin’ work in progress.” A rueful chuckle comes with the last statement.

The puddles hadn’t been far and Rance halts a couple feet away, still not so sure about what he’d come to do.  “You know, where I’m from, magic in a pool of water usually means it’s been cursed, blessed, and it isn’t for you.” His tone had a sardonic twist to cover any nervousness he might feel.

and yes i've been changing. for me, not for you

This was the first time he had taught someone about the gods. Fuck. It was his... third or fourth? At least Rance seemed to have a small amount of experience, but not nearly enough to get him by. "It took me a long ass time to talk with them. It's normal, yes, but not always immediate." It was a small comment and hopefully, Rance understood what it meant.

Rance's response earns a grin from Oliver. Gods. It was just like when he first arrived. "Oh, don't I know that feeling. When I first came here, fuck. I was a shaking little bunny, terrified of absolutely everything. Slowly, I've gotten to know people. It takes a bit and even now, I don't entirely know what my next step in life is." It was a small piece of advice that honestly, Oliver probably heard before but absolutely ignored. He looked back on his old self and laughed sometimes, to see how far he's come is astounding.

The man before him halts and Oliver peers forward, tilting his head at the small body of water. Turning to face the man, he gave a light shrug. "I've been cursed before and trust me: it sucks. But hey, at least you're here if anything wrong happens." He threw the man a wink before taking a couple of steps forward and kneeling down in front of the water. "Do I just... ask it what I want to see?" His eyes hadn't quite yet turned to look towards the water, unsure if he knew what he was doing.

smile for the camera, it's just a shot in the dark