-|AfterEffects|- (Leigh)

[Cahir Findley]

Wanderer...

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He felt the ground, soft beneath his feet. Then he felt rock, hard and coarse, robbing him of the soft dirt. Spray sparkled in the air around him, a faint mistiness that only comes from the bottom of waterfalls. It formed a prism in the air, sending all the colors of the rainbow flittering about, dancing about him, forming beads in his messy hair. His shirt hung in the branches of a tree behind him, the spray from the small pool trickling down his chest in small rivulets that played and chased each other through the shapes of his muscles, and dripped off back onto the rock. He sighed, then sat, his bare feet trailing in the small natural pool. He did like China, he supposed. It was one of the few places where the natural beauty of sights like this had not been destroyed in the war, a fact for which he was eternally grateful. There were places here where he could relax, and forget about the troubles that his life had led him into. Some places on his body still bore scars. They weren't strictly there, of course. The real wounds had healed flawlessly on his body, but he wore the glamour, and the glamour kept the scars to remind him. He was afraid sometimes that if he didn't remind himself of what his life had led him through, it would simply slip away. So he kept the bare remnants, allowed them to become part of his glamour. The fear would allow him to do little else.

Closing his eyes, he let his other senses roam. There was little breeze, but what little there was shaped the mist, guiding it gently here and there, casting shivering ripples on the surface of the water. For the briefest of seconds, he reached out and held the wind, stalling it, letting the mist roam free before he let go and allowed it to resume its natural course. A soft smile rose onto his face, his bare feet making tiny swirls in the water beneath him. Around him, the forest rose rampant. This, he thought absentmindedly, had once been a city. The rock he sat on had once been part of a temple. One of the pillars still stood, off to the side. He didn't really understand it himself, how the overgrowth had appeared so suddenly. Something about the clash between demons and the other creatures had instigated a wild spurt of growth in certain fauna and flora. Of course, the waterfall was formed by a broken water main that ran through the wall above, cascading down the ruins into the pool at his feet. It wasn't natural. Humans had made the temple, laid the pipes, run the water. Demons had torn it all down. Now, all there was was a pile of rock and a waterfall. Nature had run its course. The earth held this place now.

Cahir sighed softly, allowing the wind to run through his hair. It ruffled it slightly, sending the solidified drops of water spilling down his back. He had tried, he thought, to remember the name of this place. What it had once been, before the war tore it apart. Memory stood looming at the forefront of his mind, an image of the temple back before the war, the priests so fervent in their prayers to whatever it was that they believed in. Then the Carrion Crow had come, the stones had broken, and whatever men remained were little more than cattle for the slaughter. Living, walking bloodpacks. A shame. They had always been such a resourceful race. Even if he didn't condone the destruction of so many different natural beauties for their civilization to grow, he had to admit that their civilization had had a stark beauty of its own, one not often seen. Now, nature had taken over again, and the ruins were beautiful in their own way. All they lacked was life. There was no movement, no creatures. Animals still feared to draw near to the ruins. They remembered the days of human civilization, and those that were too young had been warned away by their elders. Eventually life would come back. Instinct would give way to age and curiosity, and the city would live again, if in a different way. For now, he sighed, murky green eyes opening and trailing the wind through the ripples on the water...
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Where do your feet tread?

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[Leigh Hunt]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 450px; background-color: #0e0e0e; padding-top: 22px; padding-bottom: 25px; border: 4px solid #836f8a;] there are too many questions there is not one solution, there is no resurection . a soft breeze seemed to move through the forest. it was something she was coming to enjoy. the forest was alive with life as she made her way through it. to be honest it was very surprising to see this many creatures around. above in the sky an eagle cawed, before swooping down. smiling she held out her arm and allowed the bird to land on it. the eagle shifted its wings and rubbed her face happily. not often were eagles in china but this one seemed to follow her around everywhere. the wind pulled at her hair, making it dance around her. kissing the top of her eagle's head, she allowed him to settle on her shoulder. "why hello there Singyo. nice to see you again." the bird gave a piercing cry and settled upon her shoulder. . the sound of water wrapped around her and seemed to call to her. so she was headed the right way after all. the ruins that she was headed to were destroyed upon the demon takeover. water seemed to pool in the area creating a small pond and waterfall. this was a wonderful place for her to train and practice. it wasn't often she got days to herself, but when she did she usually came to the falls. reaching the edge of the water, a sigh slipped from her and Singyo flew to the closest rock. the female slipped out of her robe and hung it by the nearest tree. she wore her usual training outfit. a small amount of wrapping around her breasts and red loose fitting pants. black fingerless gloves gripped the handle of her katana. . motions well practiced and graceful, the female started moving. going through all of her training exercises, she practiced her skills. the blade would catch light sometime and would glow. a smile spread across her face as she moved, slicing at the air her hair swirling about her. Singyo cawed and landed on the edge of her blade stopping her from moving. he brought her attention to the other side of the pond and she froze. there was someone else here? when had he gotten here? sighing softly she sheathed her blade, free arm held out for Singyo as she stared across the water. "hello there!" she called trying to be polite. "didn't quite see you there. not many people come here." the female smiled to the male her eyes a brilliant green. Singyo tried to eat her hair and she laughed batting at him. WORDS: 420 TAGGING: Cahil NOTES: it sucks lol there is so much confusion, and the love profusion

crayola made this from DD

[Cahir Findley]

Wanderer...

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The air whispered to him, as something flew overhead. The pattern and the rush of breeze let off by the feathers told him that it was an eagle, which was, admittedly, odd, for China. There weren't many eagles that still inhabited the skies here. Not only that, but he heard it now, the rustle of nature. Not far off, wildlife roamed the forest. They still strayed around the remnants of the temple. They didn't quite trust it, not yet. The instinctual memory still held them at bay, for reasons that their minds probably could not comprehend. It was good, he thought, that of all the places in the world, the Fae had held China. Not Europe, no, not Ireland. That was lost, even to him. Oh, he went back occasionally, making his way by the dark roads, the ones not traveled. In truth, many of the roads had started because of him. He missed it, sometimes, but it wasn't the same anymore. Peace had fled, and left only chaos and bitter struggle. The green hills of home were ravaged by the war. The last time he had been back, a year or so ago now, there had been a fledgling human settlement, hiding in the hills, in the small mounds where he had grown up. It was small, and dug into the ground, hidden from prying eyes. He had walked in completely by accident, and startled himself almost as much as the inhabitants. Of course, he didn't know whether they were still there, or if the vampires had found them and made them into cattle once again.

Truthfully, he couldn't even decide which side of the conflict had been better. The vampires had only been interested in themselves, keeping the humans alive so that they could continue to feed. The Morrigan had come for destruction. Everyone else was simply thrown along for the ride. As he thought, his body had frozen, simply seeming to stiffen and become part of the rock beneath him. His eyes were still closed, listening to the wind and what it told him. The sun was warm, even filtered through the trees above.

Something shifted in the wind, a shape that it had to curve around. Dark green eyes fastened instantly on the shape by the pool. A woman, young looking, but his practiced eye caught the almost invisible glimmer of the glamour that surrounded her. So, another Fae. Not entirely a surprise, given that China was one of the few places on Earth where the Fae held power. His eyebrow rose slightly as she drew a sword, slipping out of a robe and revealing an admittedly...well... revealing...training outfit. For a time, he watched the blade slice through the air, feeling the currents as they parted and danced in its wake. The eagle, however, noticed him, it seemed, and the woman stopped and looked over at him. He grinned, somewhat sheepishly, and rose to his feet, stepping off the rock and retrieving his shirt from the tree. Neglecting to don it, he hung it over his shoulder and stepped around the small pool, his sea green eyes glinting merrily. "Not many, that's true enough... I suppose I'm just the nostalgic sort." He smiled softly at the woman and the bird as he drew up next to them, turning to look at the pool again. "Lot of history in this place. A lot of loss." His voice was soft, almost sad, as his eyes followed the tiny ripples of the breeze.
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Where do your feet tread?

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[Leigh Hunt]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 450px; background-color: #0e0e0e; padding-top: 22px; padding-bottom: 25px; border: 4px solid #836f8a;] there are too many questions there is not one solution, there is no resurection . the female smiled as the man walked over to her. he was an older fae. very old in fact and it made her a bit uncomfortable being around him. she'd never been around older fae. the queen wasn't even that old. Singyo cawed and flew at the man but the female stopped him with a sharp stare. the bird hovered and met her gaze almost as if asking if she was sure about this. the female laughed and moved her hair so that he could land on her shoulder. the bird huffed and settled himself next to her. "sorry about that he doesn't like people very much. for some reason he seems to be fond of me." she smiled and scratched under Singyo's beak. . reaching up and untying her ponytail the female ran her hand through her hair. Singyo gave an annoyed caw and tried to unbury himself from her hair. laughing she shook out her long hair before putting it back up in a ponytail. "I'm leigh. leigh hunt it's a pleasure to meet you." she smiled softly giving him a small bow. "so what brings you out to the falls? not many people come hear as I said." the female settled herself under a tree and rested against it. "sorry if I seem a bit out of it. today is my only day off. em usually doesn't let me have to many days off." Singyo crawled off her shoulder and settled next to her. he kept his eye on the man. she laughed at the thought of Singyo being jealous. maybe he was. . the wind blew again and she tucked her fly away hairs behind her ear. the breeze felt nice and she could feel the small twinge on her awareness from the male. perhaps he was an air user. a small smile came over her face as she ran her fingers on Singyo's feathers. he gave a small noise of approval and flew up to the man. he landed on the man's head and stared at him for the longest time before crawling to his shoulder and settling there. the female stared at him in shock. "um I guess he really does like you. which is weird because he hates faeries." she admitted blushing a bit. WORDS: 354 TAGGING: cahil NOTES: it sucksssss there is so much confusion, and the love profusion

crayola made this from DD

[Cahir Findley]

Wanderer...

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She was young, he realized. Very young, especially for a Fae. Then again, he supposed, he was just old. Almost everything was young to him. This woman, however... was younger than a lot of humans. His eyes shifted slightly towards their real color, the murkiness fading from them. In response to the eagle, he only smiled slightly, sending a soft breeze to rustle the bird's feathers. It wasn't the first creature to act hostile towards him, and it probably wouldn't be the last, either. That aside, it was obvious that it felt a strong attachment to the woman, at least enough to listen to her when she told it to stop, however quietly. He eyed it for another moment, then turned his gaze back to the woman, smiling softly. "It's perfectly alright, I assure you. I've had far worse than a rushed swoop by an eagle, even as fine a fellow as your friend there." As he stretched slightly, the sun illuminated a pale scar across his chest. It was one of the few ones that was actually real. Even his accelerated healing, a gift from his faerie nature, had been unable to completely erase all signs of that wound. He didn't like to think about it, not really. Certain parts of his history were better as faint memories.

With a grin, he bowed back, somewhat deeper than her. "Cahir Findley." He said, straightening. His eyes lingered for a second on her sword, then swung back to her face, though he couldn't resist pausing momentarily as they traveled up her body. The wraps didn't really leave much to the imagination. "As for what brings me here..." He shrugged. "I wander. I always have, here and there, all across the world. This is just..." He paused, now fully emerald eyes glancing back at the water. "One of my favorites..." He finished, frowning for a second.

After a moment, however, he returned his attention to her, then laughed as the eagle landed on his head, adjusting himself so it could move to his shoulder instead, patiently staring back until the bird moved. "People tell me I have a magnetic personality." He said, grinning and sending a soft breeze through the birds tail feathers, catching the wind in his hand for a moment afterwards before letting it go. "So...I take it this 'Em' you speak of is our young queen?" He nodded thoughtfully, reaching up to tickle the eagle under the chin. "I like her. She knows what's right for her people, and does it regardless of personal cares... The world needs more rulers like that... Ones that care about the world, not just selfish dictators..."
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Where do your feet tread?

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[Leigh Hunt]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 450px; background-color: #0e0e0e; padding-top: 22px; padding-bottom: 25px; border: 4px solid #836f8a;] there are too many questions there is not one solution, there is no resurection . she blushed lightly upon noticing his eyes on her. the uncomfortableness passed and she didn't grab her robe. the female didn't want to let him know she had caught him. Singyo looked at her and jumped to her shoulder nuzzling her. he couldn't seem to make up his mind about who he wanted to be with. after a few moments of indecision he decided to stick with leigh. the female leaned on her sheathed sword listening to him speak about em and her smile faded a bit. eye growing distant she turned her attention to the sky. Singyo cooed sensing her unease. "she is a great queen but I wish she would try to do something more against the demons." she mumbled the words softly closing her eyes and sighing. . the war and things of the like were very sensitive subjects for her. leigh pulled herself back to reality when she realized she had strayed. "sorry. I love em and I would protect her with my life, but my parents were killed in the demon attack. that's why I train faeries to protect themselves. we don't need to lose anymore but we should still do something." the last part came out as a quiet whisper but her eyes returned to their glowing green and she smiled up at Cahir. Singyo nuzzled her cheek and she ruffled the side of his head. "sorry don't mean to bore you with my crappy ideals and shitty past. would you care to join me back at the dojo for tea?" leigh stood up to her full height and realized they were pretty much the same size. which was odd for her because she was taller than the average female. . the wind blew again tugging at her training pants. carefully she slipped back into the black robe but didn't tie it. the female also fastened the blade to her back and Singyo took off to the sky but stayed close to them. she hoped that he could come with her so she started off towards the dojo. it wasn't a long walk but it was a pretty one. the trees seemed to create a pathway and the path was dirt but it was well worn. the smell of water filled her nose and she visibly relaxed at the sight of her dojo. "cahir might I welcome you to my humble home and dojo." the female smiled and stopped by a stone bridge giving a small bow and motioning with her arm. this was her pride and joy and she maintained it well. the cherry blossom tree by the house was in full bloom and would always remain in bloom thanks to the help of a garden faerie. it was protected by a small barrier so that temperatures and outside forces couldn't harm it. a true smile seemed to come across her as she looked over her home. WORDS: 484 TAGGING: cahil NOTES: dojo there is so much confusion, and the love profusion

crayola made this from DD

[Cahir Findley]

Wanderer...

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Well, he had guessed correctly. Em was indeed Emilia, queen of the Faerie folk. His queen too, by the fact that he was a faerie, if a far-traveled and ruggedly weary one. And she was a great queen. She hadn't truly taken after her mother, though she did resemble her in some ways. She hadn't declared war and marched off to battle like so many claimed was necessary. It wasn't, really. She struggled to rebuild, in a world so atrophied that it was hard to see the past in it. The Queen had actually made China a safe place for Fae, staking out territory, and holding it, against many people's doubts. This Leigh, it seemed, was one of the ones that still looked for retribution. Not unjust, or undeserved retribution certainly. Especially if the demons had killed her family. Still, it was a path that would only lead to pain. War brought loss, and loss hurt those not in war far more that most could imagine. "Leigh..." He said softly, surprising himself by the use of her name. "There is no such thing as a crappy ideal. Ideals are the dreams that make up the spine of our soul... they drive us... There is nothing wrong with that..."

As for his own ideals, they were not quite so... vengeful. He known people that had fought in the war, and many of them had died. It was sad, certainly, but he was afraid of feeling the loss. It was probably why he spent so much time alone. So that if he met someone, he wouldn't have time to know them well enough to miss them after they were gone. Thus, he tried to avoid war, though he would gladly defend himself if assaulted, and had been forced to do so on some occasions. His feet followed her into the woods, as he pulled the tunic over his head, covering his bare chest. "The way I see it... The world as we knew it ended. The Morrigan made sure of that. All we are now is what the past has made us... I didn't change much because my past is longer than some. I never fought in the war. I ran from it, far from any populated areas. In some ways, I suppose I'm still running..." His voice was soft and distant, glittering eyes focused somewhere else.

He didn't know this place, though he had passed through the area often enough. With a soft smile, he nodded. "Thank you, Leigh..." He glanced around, bare feet stepping onto the stone bridge, calluses protecting him from the hard rock. "It's beautiful..." Turning, he slipped on a wet stone, stumbled, and almost fell into her, catching himself at the last second with a rueful grin.
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Where do your feet tread?

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[Leigh Hunt]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 450px; background-color: #0e0e0e; padding-top: 22px; padding-bottom: 25px; border: 4px solid #836f8a;] there are too many questions there is not one solution, there is no resurection . the sweet smell of her home was refreshing and she couldn't help but grin. the place was wonderful and she had built it herself from bottom to top. the wind blew through the area and the cherry blossoms flowed through the air. Singyo gave a caw from the sky before flying into the house. "thank you. I built it myself and the whole place has a special shield around it from the past queen. not many people know it's here unless I want them too." she smiled and turned back to face him. though to her shock he had almost run into her. trying not to have him hit her, she stumbled back a bit and lost her footing. arms wheeling she fell right into the water creating quite the place. Singyo instantly came out of the house cawing like mad and trying to help her out of the water. . laughing she surfaced and pulled a lily pad off her head. her face was completely red as she pulled herself out of the water. "well then that's one way to make friends. I'm really sorry about that." leigh laughed and pulled at her wet clothes. Singyo squawked and flew at Cahir thinking he was the one who did it. Shaking her head, she let singyo land on her shoulder. "well let's get inside so I can change." she laughed again face still flaming as she led him into her home. once they got to the front door a wall of energy shimmered over her causing her true form to show briefly before her glamour returned. "make yourself at home I'll be right back." Singyo flew to his little perch while she headed to the bedroom off the main room. closing the screen behind her, she changed into a move comfortable outfit. . she slipped into a kimono and let her hair down to dry. once she was completely changed, she headed out of the room and to the kitchen. pulling out a small tea pot, she placed it on the stove. grabbing a couple of cups, she placed them on the small table in the main room. there was a small fish tank in the corner with all kinds of koi fish in it. Singyo eyed it hungrily but leigh gave him a sharp look and he watch Cahir. "so you said you were a wanderer? why don't you stay in one place for long? I couldn't imagine leaving this place behind." the female sighed softly grabbing the tea pot as it was finished. she placed it on the table and poured a couple of cups. the blend was a special recipe her mother used to make and she picked up her cup. taking a small sip, she relaxed even more and Singyo hopped over to drink a bit from the extra cup. WORDS: 484 TAGGING: cahil NOTES: dojo there is so much confusion, and the love profusion

crayola made this from DD

[Cahir Findley]

Wanderer...

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His grin was wiped away by an expression of shock as Leigh turned, stumbled, and fell back. He reached out, stumbled again, almost fell in himself, and caught himself just in time to be soaked by the splash set off by Leigh's landing. He blinked, looked down at his shirt, and took it off, beginning to wring water out of it almost automatically. He paused as she stood up, though, instantly noting the vibrant red of her face, blushing to match her unconsciously. Make friends? This was definitely awkward, but awkward situations did seem to have a way of resolving themselves in a humorous manner, to say the least. He struggled to keep his eyes from falling below her face, where the robe dripped water and clung to her. "If anyone should be sorry, I think it's me..." he muttered, stepping back as she came out of the water. Nevertheless, he followed her in, his eyes only falling once before he wrenched them back up. She was being hospitable, and he was...doing something like this... He was probably acting like a teenager. Still...she was attractive, there was no getting over that, and the robe, as it clung to her, did...

With an enormous effort, he tore his mind away from that line of thought, raising and eyebrow as the glamour left momentarily. Well... He stepped in after her, nodding and turning away as she headed into a room where he noticed a bed before the screen slid shut behind her. Rubbing the bridge of his nose pensively, he slid out for a moment, spreading his soaked shirt to dry on the warm stones outside before coming back in. He didn't really want to be shirtless. It made it feel even more awkward, but... He really didn't want to wear a wet shirt, and all of his other clothes were back where he had made camp last night. Sinking down at the small table, he rubbed the bridge of his nose pensively. He wasn't unhappy with the way things had gone, not by a long shot. He was a sociable person at heart, even if he spent most of his time alone. As for this woman... he frowned slightly to himself. She was obviously a warrior, of a sort. She lived in a dojo and practiced with a sword, which made it all the more apparent. From what she had said, it had sounded like she was a bodyguard, of one sort or another. For the faerie queen, no less...

As she came out of the room, his eyes appraised her anew. Yep, definitely attractive... And the kimono was a good look for her, he thought pensively. Especially with her hair down the way it was. He hesitated for a moment at her question, picking up one of the cups and sipping. It was good, he thought. Taking another sip, he relaxed visibly, muscles slackening. "I'm not sure, really... I've always just wandered, since I was a child. My family faded back into the hills, and left me on my own. They loved me well enough, of course, but we all knew that I had to leave home someday..." He paused, shifting slightly. "I suppose I just never really found a place where I could settle down. Home was nice, but it was... I just never really felt like stopping..." His eyes fell to his hand, which was cupped, a tiny whirlwind spinning in it. His eyes narrowed for a moment, and he closed his hand, getting rid of the vortex. "After the war... well... I simply continued to wander. A lot of the places I knew were changed, many of them destroyed, but I just kept on moving... Wandering, eternally..." With a rueful grin, he looked up at her. "Mind you, I've always had a dream of settling down someday, finding a wife or something... I've just never found the right place." Or the right woman... he finished in his head.

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Where do your feet tread?

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[Leigh Hunt]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 450px; background-color: #0e0e0e; padding-top: 22px; padding-bottom: 25px; border: 4px solid #836f8a;] there are too many questions there is not one solution, there is no resurection . carefully holding her cup, she watched him as he spoke. there seemed to be something more behind his words. Singyo watched him as well sensing something. The bird hopped onto her shoulder and settled close. she found his story very fascinating. having left his home, and just wandered wherever he pleased. she could never do that. after her family was killed, emilia was the only family she had left and there was no way she would leave her. the female's smile faltered slightly before returning itself fully. "well I will tell you this. you are always welcome here. I usually keep this placed open to my students, but there are a few extra rooms if you ever need a place to get away." leigh smiled warmly to him as she sipped her tea again. . the offer was sincere and she really meant it. he may be a wanderer but even they needed a place to stay every now and then. Singyo gave a soft noise before he flew out of the window. "he's such an odd bird. he's been around me ever since I left the United States. it probably has to do with I look like a bird in my other form." she commented softly watching him fly out of the window. leigh set down her cup of tea and sighed softly. a soft breeze blew through the window and it tugged at her hair. bringing her attention back to Cahir she realized he didn't have a shirt on. a light blush came over her as she realized he must have taken it off after she fell into the water. "wow I feel like an idiot. I'm sorry let me grab you a shirt. I'm sure I have a couple of training robes around here." leigh got up and headed to the closed door on the far right. . she opened the door which led to a rather large sized room. this was the training area and she smiled a bit upon seeing everything she had there. the place was well stocked with blades, wooden swords, and even practice dummies. perhaps one day she could get emilia in here to train her. the queen had very little training and she would hate to see the day she wasn't around to protect em. there was a small closet off to the side and she grabbed a white robe. heading back to the main room she handed the robe to Cahir. "this looks about your size. if it isn't we can always find you another one." she smiled as the wind blew through the open windows causing the chimes to ring out. WORDS: 441 TAGGING: cahil NOTES: Singyo there is so much confusion, and the love profusion

crayola made this from DD

[Cahir Findley]

Wanderer...

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It wasn't that he didn't want to settle down. He really did. With the amount of time he'd been on the road, he figured that he knew just about every place there was. At the same time, none of them really felt...right. Not for settling down, at least. There was always something...wrong with them. Too many people...too few people... Not enough trees. Just...something. Either that, or his brain had grown too accustomed to the constant movement, and decided that he could only be happy when he was on the road. The question he still couldn't find an answer to was whether or not he was actually happy. He told himself that he was, that the road was all he needed, but he still had dreams, of a sort. He wanted to find a place, someplace quiet, and peaceful, and beautiful, where the wind could always be found. The problem he kept stumbling on was that he didn't want to do it alone. 'Everyone finds someone', his mother had said, centuries ago. In his heart, he believed that. It just seemed to be a hell of a lot harder than she had made it sound...

Despite himself, he smiled at the offer. It was a generous gesture, especially from a woman who he had only met not half an hour ago. Would he take her up on it? That remained to be seen. He would probably pass through here again, and it would be nice to have something waiting, or at least welcoming, his presence. "Get away?" He said softly, voice tinged with laughter. "I've been getting away from things my entire life. Once, just once, I'd like to find something I didn't feel the need to get away from." His voice fell, and he glanced away as she went to grab the robe, rising to accept it from her.

Slipping it over his shoulders, he tied it shut, pausing to make sure it fit well before taking another sip from his tea. "I've tried, you know..." He almost whispered the words, the sounds soft in the air. "I've tried to stop. It just seems like my body doesn't understand it..." He placed the empty teacup on the table, and rose, softly padding into the training room, his eyes falling on the various accoutrements inside. "Three years... I spent three years in one place once. It was a small town, up in Holland, back before the war. There were two other Fae there, but it was largely humans...They were my friends...One day, I just...left. No explanation, no reason..." He had come back later, after the war, and found it burned to the ground, ashes and soot the only indicator that anything had once stood there. "And then they were gone..." His finger trailed along a long wooden pole, a staff of sorts.

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Where do your feet tread?

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[Leigh Hunt]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 450px; background-color: #0e0e0e; padding-top: 22px; padding-bottom: 25px; border: 4px solid #836f8a;] there are too many questions there is not one solution, there is no resurection . as he headed into the training room, she stayed back a bit watching him. she could feel his sadness and understand what he meant. he couldn't jut stop. he had to keep moving and she got that. she really did. "I hope one day you can find a place." the female whispered the words very softly as she headed in after him. the atmosphere felt very sad and gloomy. shifting a bit uncomfortably, she tugged on her kimono. Singyo flew in through the window and landed on a perch in the corner. an idea struck her and she smiled. "enough of this sadness. I don't want you to be to sad. that wasn't my goal when bringing you back here. if you are ever going to stay here then remember sadness isn't allowed." she smiled patting his shoulder a bit. . her smile was genuine as she brushed passed him and headed towards the weapons closet. "I know it sounds stupid but when you are here just relax ok? don't worry about what is going on outside the world because I'll tell you something. this place is in a time of it's own." leigh stopped and looked over her shoulder at him as she pulled open the closet. every inch of the closet was filled with different kinds of weapons. everything from spears to broad swords. when she trained, she trained her students well. "what do you say to a little sparring? I'm sure you could use a brush up." the female winked at him over her shoulder as she grabbed two staffs and she tossed one to Cahir. flipping hers around a bit, she smacked a dummy behind her. Singyo gave a caw of approval and flew up off his perch and landed on her shoulder. . the female turned and faced him eyes flashing green with excitement. she hadn't sparred with anyone, that held some skill, in a long time. she was very excited and even Singyo could tell because he shifted anxiously on her shoulder. Shifting his wings a bit, he cawed softly and grabbed a few strands of her hair before letting them go. deciding to leave her hair down, she flashed a grin to Cahir. "don't worry Cahir, I won't go too hard on you. wouldn't want you to leave here crying." she teased him giving him a small tap on the shoulder with her staff. ok so she was flirting a bit and she was trying not to but she couldn't help herself. she was a bit of a natural flirt and it probably didn't help that he was fairly attractive. WORDS: 436 TAGGING: cahir NOTES: it sucksssss there is so much confusion, and the love profusion

crayola made this from DD

[Cahir Findley]

Wanderer...

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An eyebrow raised slightly at the whispered words. They were nice to hear, certainly. A little unexpected, but that was fine. The gloom of his own mood was beginning to wear on him however, and he was glad to see her smile, feeling the weight lift slightly. "I'll remember that..." he said, smiling softly. He would, too, now that he thought about it. This didn't seem like a place for sadness anyway. The flowers outside were in full bloom, the sun was shining, and heat sent shivers through the air as it moved. No... He wiped the frown from his face, taking a deep breath and pushing all of the memories back into his head. None of them were appropriate for this time, for this place. He subtly added in his head that they weren't really appropriate when around an attractive woman, either, but erased that thought as quickly as it came.

As silly as it felt, he did relax slightly at her words, shoulders losing some of the tensity that had held them rigid. Curious, he watched the closet open, eyes flicking across the numerous weapons. He grinned, however, when she tossed him the staff, catching it easily in one hand and hefting it, feeling the weight. "A brush up? I suppose you could call it that..." The shaft blurred as it spun in his fingers, then solidified, caught under his shoulder. "You do seem to have a knack for spotting the appropriate weapon, though..." His eyes had lost all of their darkness, gleaming a bright, gem-like green. This promised to be fun. Despite all of his condemnation of war and battle, there was nothing quite like a good fight, provided, of course, that both sides consented and were only in it for a bit of fun... survival made the whole thing slightly less...enjoyable.

His staff came up in one hand, knocking hers aside lightly, as his feet spread, lowering him into a balanced stance. The hand that held the staff was calm and steady, callused palms easily squeezing the smooth wood. "Do you know, mistress..." He said, voice teasing. "I was about to say the same to you, but thought it would be a bit harsh... This is your dojo after all..." He bowed formally, then kicked off the ground, already laughing as he sped at her. The staff flickered out in a testing strike, only intended to get a bearing for her, not truly hit.

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Where do your feet tread?

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[Leigh Hunt]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 450px; background-color: #0e0e0e; padding-top: 22px; padding-bottom: 25px; border: 4px solid #836f8a;] there are too many questions there is not one solution, there is no resurection . a rush of adrenaline coursed through her as she gripped her staff. he did want to spar. excellent! a grin spread across her face as she knocked away his staff with ease. "don't be too sure of yourself. I may not be as old as you, but I have had my share of battles." leigh laughed and ran a hand through her hair before jumping back away from his charge. she spun and danced around his attacks twirling her staff aiming at him every now and then. her attacks weren't meant to harm but simply to notify. she didn't want to turn this into a death match just a little bought of fun. laughing a bit as she moved behind him, her staff aiming at his shoulder. . this was fun. so much fun actually. it had been a long time since she sparred for fun and not simply to train. some of her students were good but they weren't good enough. she danced again moving the staff towards his leg, she aimed to hit him before dancing back out of reach. "how about a little fun? shall we drop glamour and spar? I don't mind if you don't"leigh smiled sweetly to him as her glamour shimmered a little bit revealing what lay underneath. she was a bit embarrassed about her true form. she didn't look completely like a person and it made her feel a little odd. she charged him him again smile on her face. her staff twirled towards him again and once again she danced back away from him. a light blush coming over her as she stod a bit away. . after a few moments of hesitation, she completely dropped her glamour. her blush increased ten fold almost making her face red. the once luscious purple of her hair shimmered and faded to a sea foam green. her eyes shifted to purple still glittering with excitement. snowy white feathers began to appear on her arms creating wings. her hands shifted into claws but she still held the staff tight in her grip. lastly her feet changed to that of bird's feet. the kimono remained though she probably should have worn something else because in this form it was a little small. leigh had gained a couple inches in height and other places making the kimono cling to her even more. "now you know why Singyo hangs around." she mumbled softly her face still red as she lunged at him staff aiming to hit his middle. WORDS: 417 TAGGING: cahil NOTES: True Form there is so much confusion, and the love profusion

crayola made this from DD

[Cahir Findley]

Wanderer...

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She was skilled, he'd give her that. She had the control to hold back, and the confidence to actually do it. He grinned, reversing his grip on the staff smoothly, the wood always sliding in front of her blows. Never straight, he always defected them at a glancing angle, allowing her to keep the momentum. His feet remained planted, like roots, but his body bent as smoothly and easily as a blade of grass in the wind. Occasionally, he'd even bypass guarding altogether, and simply bend to avoid her staff, glittering eyes tracking it's movement through the air. "Then I'd say that we've both had our fair share of battles..." he noted, bending to the side and deflecting another blow, shooting out a quick blurred strike as a form of riposte

As her blow came at his leg, he shifted as if to block it, then laughed, spinning backwards, his leg within scant inches of the blow. He paused, however, as she spoke, and his eyebrow rose. He didn't mind letting off the glamour. After all, they were both Fae, if of different types. If they couldn't trust each other... then, well... His staff moved almost unconsciously into the path of her two blows, his eyes still focused on her changing form. The ripple of the receding glamour made him blink for a moment, and then she was...different. Still attractive, certainly, but in a kind of...bestial sense. The claws and feathered wings were a dramatic change, and her hair was...interesting. He noticed, absentmindedly, that while her body had grown slightly, the kimono had not. It was, after all, a normal kimono. She seemed quite conscious of the fact as well, if her red face was any indication.

He bowed, a soft grin coming onto his face. "My turn..." He said softly, stepping forwards, and at the same time, out of his glamour. His grin grew, seeming at once more wild, more feral. His eyes finished their change, becoming a glittering green that could only be matched by gemstones. His body grew, if only slightly, but his muscles were more defined, and his movements aided by a bestial grace, feet touching the mat almost impatiently. "I must say, that kimono does you justice..." he laughed, bowing. He had wings too, now, but they were on his back. At the same time, they didn't appear entirely there, the wall behind him visible through their pale green curtain of feathers. His staff came up instantly, only the tip guiding her blow, altering it by scant inches, but enough to miss. "Careful..." The tip of her staff caught the tie to his robe, and it slid off of his shoulders, revealing the pale scar on his chest again. "Are you tired? Or is your face always this red?" He was obviously teasing, but there was a subtle hint of flirtation as well, and his cheeks gained some slight color.
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Where do your feet tread?

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