all these things I’ve done

SUNJATA

so, collect your scars and wear 'em well
your blood's as good an ink as any

Ronin’s well aware that Sunjata’s meant to come to Stormbreak, even if the rumors of Ronin not living in Stormbreak anymore are true. So he arrives early, setting up Kamaria with someone to watch over her and explore the city, leaving Sunjata time to actually see what this Stormbreak was like.

Truthfully, it reminds him of a lot of Korofi in certain aspects. And it makes him wish to be unseen, even if he’s stepping through the beauty and brilliance of the Celestine. The starry twilight filled gardens only seem to make him more at home with the way his tattoos shift subtly with the space he’s found himself in.

He feels closer to Safrin in a way he hasn’t felt in a while, seeing everything sprawled out before him, through the field that opens up from one of the paths he’s taken. He’s never felt more comfortable as an Attuned as well, surrounded by creatures being cared for and the like, and it makes him incapable of preventing the partial shift of feathers that drift from his neck to his chest, filling in his feathered tattoos like a coloring book.

go scratch your name into the clouds
and pull them all... d o w n

there was no where for me to stay, but I stayed anyway

Having only recently learned to walk upright, now having to learn to walk on all fours given that Ever skipped the crawling stage of life, was actually very difficult. Looking a bit like a dog forced to wear booties, Ever takes massive steps, acting as though he's constantly stepping over invisible but giant holes in the ground. It's exhausting, but given that this is what the boy thinks it takes to walk, he does his best to keep at it.

Every now and then he forgets that his has four legs, and moves just the two of them (as he might as a boy). This makes him flop down heavily onto his belly, and though the pathways of the Celestine are forgiving, he can't help the small yelps of surprise that push through his dark lips each and every time this happens.

everest

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

lights will guide you home, & ignite your bones
& i will try to fix you

Watchful as ever, Tobi has curled herself up beneath one of the trees in the Celestine to keep a careful watch on her son. She won't let him out of her sight for even a second now, given what happened last time, but now with the attuned bond to tug on, she's much more relaxed.

Try not to think about it so much. She counsels wisely from the shade, tucking her tail around her paws. This is sure to be unhelpful given just how alike Ever and Finn's minds already seem to be. Fastidious and determined as he is, Tobi places her nose between her paws and takes a relaxed breath, marveling at the fact that she's watching her son learning to walk. But not as a baby, the way she'd expected. But as a boy, and currently, as a puppy.

October

// i found a way i could catch that feel good, skies been turnin', fires been burnin' since '93
wait just a moment, i can drop my values, skies been turnin', fires been burnin' since 17 //

The first thing that draws him out of his splendor is a yelp. Followed by another, enough so that Sunjata keeps walking into the clearing, his gaze scouting for whatever’s the source. And the closer he gets the more he realizes it’s a yelp of surprise, and the quiet sound of a woman through the attuned bond, something that has him scanning yet again for another creature.

And that’s when he spots them, a puppy so much like his own shift that it itches at him, and another languidly settled by the tree, watching the puppy blunder and flop around in the attempts to walk.

And usually this shift was used for secrecy, but the fact is that he doesn’t know who these people are or whether it matters or not, and so he reaches for it — tugging and pulling until his tall figure is replaced by a fluffy, full size version of the puppy (much to his surprise).

The canine drifts toward the mother first, not wanting to head toward the child in case of starting a fight, his tail wagging in greeting and his head lowered as he arrives, stopping a fair distance away to let his accented rumble reach both her and pup. Hello, He pauses before his gaze drifts to the pup. Learning to walk? He asks with a tilt of his head, ears perked forward, before swinging his attention back to the woman.

// travelling so far to get there, all just to be here again
all just to see what they saw back then //

SUNJATA

there was no where for me to stay, but I stayed anyway

Ever is a lot of things, but a protector he is not. Not unlike his father, Ever's ability to defend or act bravely is usually just a heat of the moment thing. And just now, spying a large shape approaching his mother, is enough to at least be considered a simmer of the moment.

Barking loudly, the sound feeble and ear-splitting, Everest does his best to scramble towards his mother and Sunjata. The pads of his paws tug at the gravel beneath, sending it flying behind him even though he isn't actually moving anywhere. Hey! He calls, neither trying to nor sounding particularly threatening. You aren't my dad! He adds, which, given that he's really only ever seen Finn around his mother, makes more sense in Ever's mind than it likely does to anyone else.

everest

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

lights will guide you home, & ignite your bones
& i will try to fix you

Raising her head from between her paws at Sunjata's approach, Tobi's tail thuds a polite but lazy greeting. Panting slightly in the heat, she turns her honeyed gaze toward Ever and his antics, sending a laugh down the attuned bond. Hello. I don't believe we've met? I'm October. She introduces warmly. And yes. He was only a toddler a few days ago, so this is all a bit new to him. New to me, as well.

Realizing how little of this probably makes sense, Tobi sends an apologetic pulse along to Sunjata. He found his way to a shrine where...Frey found him. I've always heard about them ageing-up children, especially if it's to keep them safe, but...

As Ever calls out, Tobi laughs brightly. Correct. He is not your father. She agrees, barking merrily in his direction.

October

// i found a way i could catch that feel good, skies been turnin', fires been burnin' since '93
wait just a moment, i can drop my values, skies been turnin', fires been burnin' since 17 //

October, is her name. One that rings a distant bell in the now canine mind of Sunjata’s. But his presence is accepted and he offers a bit more of a tail wag in content. I’m Sunjata. He offers, almost tentatively, unsure what kind of reaction that might hold. Have people in Stormbreak even heard of him? As she continues, though, there’s a spark of amusement and understanding as he sinks down to lay in the grass of the shade. Ah, I know the feeling. My daughter was brought to me at five years old. It’s an adjustment.

The sharp piercing bark of a puppy though has him raising his head, lifting his haunches in a bit of a play bow toward the boy, though, a playfulness streaking through him at seeing so many others like himself so suddenly. Tobi handles the news of him not being this child’s father which Sunjata agrees wholeheartedly with, before he’s tacking onto the end, hi pup, I’m from Torchline. His steel gaze regards the pup curiously and still playfully. What’s your name? He remains in that play bow stance, wondering how much of the canine instincts Ever might let loose.

// travelling so far to get there, all just to be here again
all just to see what they saw back then //

SUNJATA

there was no where for me to stay, but I stayed anyway

That Tobi confirmed this dark canine was not his father—something he already knew of course—Everest settles slightly. As the adults talk, Ever turns his mind to other things. He's learned already that there are certain conversations that take place which Aren't Meant For Him. Sometimes it's hard to distinguish which, but right now it seems pretty clear given the way they're looking at each other and not him. So, snapping his teeth at a butterfly, Ever bumbles a few steps before taking another tumble.

Not immediately understanding that pup is meant to refer to him, it's only after a mental nudge from Tobi that the youngster looks up. Blinking his large dark eyes, he cocks his head to the side which has his comically big ears flopping. I'm Everest Hart. Named after a mountain on Earth, which is a place in a whole other world. And Hart because that's my mother's last name, and since she and dad aren't married and because they don't believe in those sorts of things, I was just given her last name. Ever over-answers.

Watching as Sunjata's head lowers and his hips rise, Ever feels a strange compulsion to do the same. His feet carry him forward, and without even really thinking about it, he hazards a nip towards one of Sunjata's paws before trying to instantly dart away.

everest

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

lights will guide you home, & ignite your bones
& i will try to fix you

Oh! The former Governor? Tobi tilts her head slightly to the side as if that might help her confirm the information. Sorry, I don't really leave Stormbreak often. She admits apologetically. Perking her ears up to hear of it, the berner gives a low wufff of sympathy, before huffing out a breath. I can't even imagine. I suppose neither of us will know what we missed out on. She adds, perhaps a touch sadly, before turning her gaze towards her son as he gives Sunjata a mini essay.

He isn't wrong of course, and so Tobi swallows down her mental frown. I think Hart suits you. She offers, though rolls her shoulders in a canine-shrug. Though I suppose you're old enough now to change if you prefer to be a Rosencrantz.

October

// i found a way i could catch that feel good, skies been turnin', fires been burnin' since '93
wait just a moment, i can drop my values, skies been turnin', fires been burnin' since 17 //

Ah, yes. That’s me. He offers with a huff of amusement from the shepherd. It’s my first time here. I promised Ronin I would take a trip, delayed however much it is. There’s another bout of playfulness before he’s nodding in agreement to Tobi. What had they missed with the age gap? They’d never truly know. For now, though, Everest has his attention and if Sunjata could raise his brows in surprise in this form, he certainly would be.

There’s a few things that stick out though. I’m from a whole other world too. He offers Ever with a hint of wistfulness and mystery, before the pup is nipping at his large paw and bouncing back to dart away. The muscles in Sunjata’s form flex and push, darting after the pup but giving him some distance as if he’s truly getting away from him before he tries to nudge out with his nose the second he gets close to Ever. My husband is from Earth. He sends offhandedly toward both Ever and Tobi as he moves to dart away from the pup. He wonders idly if he should ask Nate about the mountain, knowing full well there’s no chance Tobi or Ever’s father would want to speak to Nate about it.

// travelling so far to get there, all just to be here again
all just to see what they saw back then //

SUNJATA

there was no where for me to stay, but I stayed anyway

You...you are? Outlanders are now quite common, and so while Ever hasn't inherited his mother's penchant for them in quite the same way, he is still wildly intrigued. So much so that he forgets about his large paws or the unevenness of the road, and flops down onto his side as Sunjata nears. Opening his mouth to reveal rows of sharpy puppy teeth, he flails his paws up at the larger dog. However once Sunjata mentions that Nate is from earth as well, all energy drains from the puppy's limbs. He is? Is he here? Has he ever seen Everest? Not me, the mountain. The mountain on earth.

Still on his back, Ever gives Tobi an upside smile. Mom, did you hear that? Earth!

everest

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

lights will guide you home, & ignite your bones
& i will try to fix you

Oh, well welcome. The Celestine is certainly one of the most unique things about Stormbreak. The Silk Houses too, though given how playful Sunjata was being with her son, it didn't occur to Tobi then that Sunjata might be the sort of man to enjoy such things. He's moved to the Greatwood now, but he still comes back quite regularly. Such was Cian's influence, not that Tobi mentions it.

Glancing towards Everest, Tobi puts her head back down between her paws. I did. Attuned speech isn't like using words. You don't have to shout. She says softly, before her eyes shift slightly toward Sunjata. Earth, that's rather remarkable. I would love to speak with him sometime about what he's seen there. Of all the worlds, there is probably the most information about earth. It would be interesting to see what your husband thinks of our archives.

October

// i found a way i could catch that feel good, skies been turnin', fires been burnin' since '93
wait just a moment, i can drop my values, skies been turnin', fires been burnin' since 17 //

I am. I come from a place called Korofi. His accented rumble is sent back to Everest even as he pulses a sensation of a ‘thank you’ over toward Tobi. He hopes their schedules align with Ronin arriving but of course there’s certainly no telling. For now, though, he pauses by Everest as the boy seems to blue screen, belly prone, and Sunjata stops before he can step on the boy, reaching out with a dark nose to prod at the small paws. He isn’t in Stormbreak, unfortunately. He comments, knowing the dangers of such an attempt. I will have to ask him about the mountain. And he certainly intends to.

He lowers himself into yet another play bow beside Ever as Tobi’s words cut through and Sunjata isn’t sure how to respond, evident in the way his ears waver in their uncertainty. There isn’t a way for him to get here, otherwise I’m sure he’d be interested in comparing. If Stormbreak wasn’t Stormbreak of course.

His ears waver again as he straightens up, panting through the heat as his head swings back toward Tobi, unsure if Ever understands why Nate would never make it here. If you have questions though I could always relay and write back. After all, there was nothing more pleasant than being able to talk about your home world and the differences between here and there — even in Sunjata’s case, if you pull away the tragedies.

// travelling so far to get there, all just to be here again
all just to see what they saw back then //

SUNJATA

there was no where for me to stay, but I stayed anyway

Cor...offee. Ever repeats, unsure. Why can't I say it like you? Why do you sound so different? His mother and father's voices were similar enough that he couldn't detect any accent between them. But this man? Everything he said sounded like...like...well, he doesn't know. He doesn't have words for it, yet.

Flopping his large paws toward Sunjata's nose, the boy rolls onto his side and attempts to dart playfully away. Tripping over himself again, Ever simply goes sprawling. Once the world is the right way up again, he sees that Sunjata and his mother are speaking. With a huff, the puppy flops down into the grass, already exhausted even by this little amount of exercise.

everest

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)