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!
An arctic fox was not a customary figure on the banks of Torchline; certainly not natural, anyway. But spirited dispositions and will to simply not think about the world she belonged to, for just a moment, gave her a sense of ease as sand shifted beneath her feet, the dusk light barely catching at the ivory puffs of her billowing tail, a semblance of luck and fortune and promise granting her a temporary reprieve along the Miana Pool.
Her vulpine features peeked along the gentle, rippling surface – until there was either a pressing reflection of the moon or simply her essence drifting along the smooth veneer, permitting a short little burst of glee to pervade through her form.
Then she was ambling towards the rocks nearby, nose and eyes taking them in, pondering which to select, what to choose, to make some wish that would allow for some wonder, for some hope.
The white fur was shockingly visible even against Torchline's sands and rocky shores (or perhaps especially against those). Pihu had been stretching her wings when she spotted the fox from above. Letting out a croak, she'd banked, circling closer to the ground.
As the fox poked around the edge of the pool, the raven landed on a rock overlooking it. Cocking her head to one side, she preened a feather as she eyed the animal that clearly didn't belong in this area. Finally, the thief took flight again and swooped overhead from the other animal. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that one, yer an Attuned, and two, yer lost.
The presence of the raven didn’t bother her; not while she circumvented and considered the rocks around them. After a few moments, she found a perfectly suitable, soft, pink pebble; like a blush or a streak of early morning dawn – something maybe Sera could’ve, would’ve, appreciated. Gently, she began to maneuver it with her paw towards the section of the pool, when the voice curled through her mind.
Composed and unruffled, her head only came up briefly to glance with amber eyes towards the bird – the vocals unrecognizable. Right on the first, she mused, gentle and soothing, while she batted the stone into the water. It sunk swiftly and quickly with a quiet plop, and she fell into silence for a few moments, closing her gaze, making a wish. A breath, and then her ivory skull meandered to stare at the corvid once more. But I know where I am.
As the fox started to push a pebble towards the water, Pihu eyed it. Letting out a croak, she ruffled her feathers. Haven't seen ye around here before. Ye new? Ducking her head under a wing, she preened, pulling off some gunk and dirt that had caked the feathers in question.
The plop caused her to snap upright though. Hopping closer to the water's edge, she watched the stone sinking. Ye know this is probably just a myth and a scam, right? The L'ma, if it exists, ain't got no power over fate. She clacked her beak at the pool. Only we control out own destinies.
I’m from Stormbreak she permitted in return, amber gaze seeking out another stone – something that matched the intertwining of moons and eaves, of natures and balances, of the way of the earth and the stars.
And then a light laugh bloomed at the bold statement. It exists. Just as real as you or I. Though she hadn’t been a witness to its fantastical, or sobering, melancholic sight, the wisdom and inklings had been scattered across the world – making its way to the stony towers, to the Caretaker of animals and creatures just the same. There was a sighting a few years ago.
A little hum stirred again, under her breath, coaxed in fox doldrums and laurels. Of that I have no doubt, intertwined with deities and motions. But sometimes it’s nice to dream.
Pihu let out a croak as the other woman revealed she was from Stormbreak. Hopping closer, the raven pecked at the ground in front of her. An' yer already falling for the tourist traps.
Fluffing up her feathers, she looked between the water and the fox. Oh aye, there's always a sightin' every few years. Did ye see it, though? With yer own eyes? Cause I didn'. So I'm left to believe it's all just rumors.
Preening, she turned away from the other Attuned and the Miana Pool. For a moment, the thief didn't respond. I always prefer the sort o' dream ye can make into reality. She twisted so she could look over her shoulder at the stranger.
Instead of being bothered or ruffled by the raven’s need to be dismissive, the fox shrugged her shoulders as best she could – calm and composed in her serenity. It was a need for distraction that had driven her here, and kept her still, avian Natural or not. With the hum still instilled, her amber eyes peeked over the edge, staring not at her own reflection, but into the pool, with its gentle undulations, with its collection of other rocks and stones down below.
Tranquil all the more, because that was far easier, her voice lulled in the same melodic tendencies, warm and bright. Just because you weren't present doesn’t mean it didn’t occur. Her ears flicked back and forth, picking up on sounds of surrounding gulls, but not much else in the sea salt air. Many things happen without our notice.
Ignoring the final statement, because they could have different opinions, she meandered away, roaming on soft, padded paws towards the opposing side.
Pihu fluffed up her feathers. Standing up to her full height, she croaked at the fox. An' just because ye heard it happened from some random stranger definitely don't mean it's true. As the thoughts wound through the bond, the raven flapped her wings.
Cocking her head to one side, she retorted, An' many people are naïve and gullible an' get taken advantage of. Turning around she hopped forward a bit. Then she jumped fully up and pumped her wings to take flight. Circling around the other Attuned, the thief watched as the other woman stared int the depths of the pool. But ye can do what ye want. Pihu started to fly away, though she was still in mental range.
They weren’t random strangers. The fox shrugged her shoulders, tone still light and merry, but entirely put off by the raven. Remaining friendly and cordial, polite and regal, noble and refined, she only rummaged further along the sides, spying a shiny green-hued pebble, and doing much of the same as she had before – figuring two wishes couldn’t hurt either. But we can agree to disagree. In no mood to argue, quarrel, or even debate the happenings around a pool, she lowered her form beside the embankment, and pushed the rock in between her paws.
Sera would’ve liked it. Maybe she’d keep this one. A little token of a visit.
Her eyes flicked back to the raven, but then the feathers and wings seemed to be gone, vanishing into something else, and the fox was alone with her thoughts once more. Have a nice day she offered into the nothingness, just the same.
