From being an Abandoned who had rarely left the Hollowed Grounds, to embracing the call of adventure, to dying and being reborn first as an Ascended and then as an Ancient, Maea has gone through quite the amount of changes in her life. One thing remains common, though, in her attempts to find out just where she belongs; she’s always had a craving for knowledge which has brought her to so many places and to meet so many people here in Caido. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for her!
Congratulations, Maea!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
Skinning and hosting by the epically talented Kaons, and functionality fanciness by the coding magic of Neowulf. If you ever see either of them around, make sure to show them some love!
Cautiously and carefully the small shepherd snuffles and sniffs his way through the Greatwood. Though Ever doesn't weigh much his paws do occasionally break through the crust of snow he walks on, dropping him chest-deep such that he has to flounder to get back onto the surface of the snow. His paws are large and unwieldy which makes it difficult for him to spread his toes despite knowing that distributing his weight is what will keep him edging forward most efficiently.
Ears forward but tail curled low and almost between his legs, Ever pauses to sniff the air every few feet, methodically following the scent of something despite the Greatwood's constant efforts to thwart him.
If I told you that you'd do nothing with it I'd still be that cigarette that you couldn't finish
our paths, they did cross, though I cannot say just why
He doesn't know it yet, but the something that Everest is tracking is actually tracking him in reverse. He'll find out shortly, though. Fiadh has clambered up the nearest tree to watch the puppy trundle through the snow, her whiskers and paws wet, snowflakes settling on her fur. As he lifts his nose to scent the air yet again, the young Attuned makes her move.
She's not a flying squirrel. She's not even close. And yet, that's the vibe one might get to see the raccoon blanket her way down from the tree branches, intent on landing upon the puppy's back. Go, go, mush! she cackles, fully expecting that the dog is just a dog, and her words will fall on deaf ears.
Despite his instincts, Ever is not a tracker, nor is he aware of his surroundings the way he one day will be. This encounter will have a lot to do with his tendency later in life to look up into tree branches, narrow his eyes, and stiffen. When asked, he might not even remember why he does it. Might not be able to name the unsettled feeling that being alone in a snowy woods as Fiadh. For now though, the raccoon plonks precisely onto his back which startles him into an awkward lope at the same time a squeaky and pathetic yelp warbles from his throat.
WHA—
WHY?
WH— And then, because Ever is nothing if not painfully compliant in nearly every situation, adds: Where?
The shepherd's large paws and uncoordinated limbs lash out at the snow which sinks and crunches beneath his efforts. Leaping like a deer now, Ever can feel his energy levels rapidly begin to drain with every jump and he can only silently pray that his rider doesn't have very far to go.
If I told you that you'd do nothing with it I'd still be that cigarette that you couldn't finish
our paths, they did cross, though I cannot say just why
Fiadh's gasp of glee at hearing a response warble from the pup is only matched by the joy at having him lope forward. You're an Attuned! she greets him, her accent lilting almost to the point where it renders her words unintelligible. Oh... uh, onward! With dark paws, she grips onto the boy-turned-shepherd's fur, and they bound together through the trees towards the Stonesong.
Only once it's nearly in view does she pipe up again, wiggling on his back as if to get down even before the pup has stopped moving. Here, here! I have treasure buried here, she announces. My name's Fiadh. What're you doin' in the woods like this?
Were it not for having been around Ronin, Ever absolutely wouldn't have been able to parse the words banging about in his mind. Yes I...okay! He mentally yelps, continuing to launch himself and probably looking and feeling like some broken carnival ride. Hating the feeling of tiny clawed hands tugging at his fur, Ever focuses on his breathing and the absurd notion that once he completes this task, presumably he will be free of his hitchhiker.
Skittering to a stop, the boy's mouth drops open to allow his long pink tongue to flop out. Without thinking, he snaps at the snow, swallowing it down without thought at all for the on-coming brain freeze or the extra energy it would take for his body to melt it. Still panting, he cocks his head to the side as one of his paws instinctively reaches out—to shake her hand as he had been taught—only to remember he didn't have fingers. I....uhm, well my friend lives here sometimes, so I was coming to visit. But I was looking for something so that I could make him a present. Ever replies with a hopeful waggle of his tail.
If I told you that you'd do nothing with it I'd still be that cigarette that you couldn't finish
our paths, they did cross, though I cannot say just why
Weeee! comes Fiadh's announcement as she tumbles from the side of the pup and into the deep snow. She tumbles and rolls, ending up shaking herself into quite the fluffball when she emerges to see him eating the snow. That's bad for you, y'know, she says. You'll get a bad tummy. My papa says so. Instinctively, she skitters back as his paw comes forward, before she realises what he's trying to do.
Hopping forward, she reaches out with both dark paws to clutch his own, giving it an energetic shake. Who's your friend? And what's your name? Not many people live in the Greatwood. I got somethin' you might wanna use in my stash! The words spill out relentlessly, and then Fiadh is away, bouncing through deep snow until she seemingly disappears at the base of a tree.
In reality she's absolutely just digging around for her 'treasure', which turns out to be a bunch of berries and nuts and a bunch of rocks from the bottom of the Stonesong.
Blinking wide blue eyes, it takes a moment for Ever to register what it is Fiadh means (and honestly, what it is she's saying), before he regards the snow before him with a disappointed stare. Oh. You're right. I was just so thirsty. With the Stonesong rushing not far away, Ever feels monumentally foolish. Lowering his head slightly as his ears droop, he means to offer an explanation for his sudden extended paw before suddenly its gripped between her tiny hands such that he is the one who wants to pull away. My friend is Mateo Taliesin. Ever replies politely, trying to keep up with her questions. My name is Everest Hart. He doesn't tell her that most people just call him Ever, because she hasn't asked.
Oh? Edging a cautious step closer, Ever's nostrils flare as he takes a few experimental sips of air as he watches her dig. He could do it much more efficiently, but it was rude to simply barge in and take over for someone, so instead he lets her finish. Do you have any peppermint bark?{/u} He wonders, sniffing again. {I]I was hoping for that. My friend has a hard time waking up in the mornings, but I thought if he had something that smelled really bold it might jolt him awake.[/say}
If I told you that you'd do nothing with it I'd still be that cigarette that you couldn't finish
our paths, they did cross, though I cannot say just why
It's okay - I'm sure you'll be alright, Fiadh says, cheerful as ever even as she emerges from her snow-hole with her treasures. Or y'won't. Either way though, ain't nothin' you can do about it now, mm? Whiskers twitching, her head tilts to one side as she hears Mateo's name. I know his pa! she announces. She knows Mateo too, but honestly she spends more time dropping onto Remi's head in the woods.
Nice to meet you, Everest Hart, she pipes up, hearing peppermint bark and promptly shoving all the bits and bobs back into the hole to re-bury it. I don't have any here but I know where some is! She nods, clambering forward, damp and shivering a bit, to clamber back aboard on his back. She doesn't ask permission. Ready?
Ever's eyes go wide, and despite the fact that he's still thirsty, his mouth is suddenly very dry. On cue his stomach gives an unhappy rumble that Ever is fairly sure means that death is on the way, and the puppy finds himself sitting down hard on the snow. Oh? Which one? Because of course Mateo has two dads, or pas,
Nice to meet you as well, Fee-ah He says her name almost correctly, but without any of the musicality that should accompany it. Watching as the raccoon reburies her treasure, Ever opens his mouth to tell her that she doesn't have to help him, that really, he can scent it out on his own, when she's tugging at his fur to reclaim her place on his back. Ready for...what? He asks uncertainty, standing and trying not to fall through the snow.
If I told you that you'd do nothing with it I'd still be that cigarette that you couldn't finish
our paths, they did cross, though I cannot say just why
The one who makes catapaults, Fiadh says unhelpfully as she gets comfortable on Ever's back. He can be a big lion... thing too! His name is Remi. Clearly she doesn't think that the name is particularly important, hence why it's last on the list. Ready to go and find peppermint bark, duh. Afterwards we can go and warm up at my house?
Clearly she's already decided what it is they're going to be doing, because she tugs at his fur again in an effort to mush! him in the right direction. They follow the flow of the Stonesong, mostly, and Fiadh even keeps them out of the deepest snow, and soon enough they come upon a copse of poplar trees filled with the scent of peppermint. Ta daaaa!
That doesn't narrow it down, what with Remi being a mad-inventor and Ronin being a soldier. Manticore. Ever supplies immediately, before bashfully realizing that his interjection might have been rude. The big lion...it's called a manticore. He adds more gently.
Er— Her house? But..he had only planned on being gone for a little while. He'd be late for all of the things he'd scheduled for himself, but of course it would be rude to say no. Luckily Fiadh didn't seem like she was waiting on his answer, which was actually a bit of a relief. Loping off in the direction she'd indicated, Ever just manages to make it to the grove of peppermint trees before his limbs threaten to give out. Fiadh isn't particularly heavy, but Ever is by no means in shape. Though he does run after Mateo a lot, his friend's ADD usually takes over before stamina is required.
Panting, Ever shoots the raccoon a wolfish grin despite himself. It smells so good! This will definitely wake him up in the morning. Wagging his tail, he moves near one of the trees, before cocking his head to the side. Erm...I'm going to shift, so...can you... He rolls his shoulders slightly, too nervous and shy to say get off.
If I told you that you'd do nothing with it I'd still be that cigarette that you couldn't finish
our paths, they did cross, though I cannot say just why
A manticore? That sounds cooler than big lion. Thanks! Clearly unimpeded by the interjection, Fiadh fills their travels with tuneless humming and snippets of song in the Fae tongue. She doesn't really know it all that well though, so where certain words are hard to say or impossible to remember, she fills in the blanks with her own interpretation.
Agus tha a ’choille a’ comharrachadh jelly saaaaaandwiches! she finishes when they arrive at the copse, her ears perking up to know they've found what Ever is looking for.
Mm...? Oh! Okay! Scrabbling down off his back, Fiadh skitters over to one of the trees, prying away the bark with dark and nimble fingers. Where do you live, Everest Hart? she wonders conversationally.
You're welcome. Ever replies politely, and even though he can't understand much of what Fiadh is saying, it has all the hallmarks of an earworm that he'll find himself humming (much to his annoyance) later in the evening.
Sighing a breath of relief as Fiadh clambers off (briefly he'd thought she might argue, and just...remain on him), the puppy becomes a boy, who immediately straightens and dusts off his knees with gloved fingers. "I live in Stormbreak." He answers, pulling a small rasp from his coat pocket to pry some of the bark off of the tree. "Have you ever been there? It's very far away, but with the Skyboats it only takes a few hours."
our paths, they did cross, though I cannot say just why
Settled on the frozen ground, Fiadh doesn't actually like peppermint bark all that much, but she makes busy and quick work of prying it away from the poplar trees. She's distracted only when Ever finally becomes a boy, the raccoon pausing to peep aaaaaall the way up at him, whiskers dancing in her approval. I have heard of Stormbreak, but I have never been there before, she says. My papa says he'll take me one day, but I think maybe I will ask Remi and see if he can dream me there.
All of this seems to make perfect sense to Fiadh, and she adds her pile of bark to Ever's, ending up sitting in the snow with her bushy tail curled around her feet to watch him finish his task. How much do you need? Is he going to chew on it? she wonders.
