Below Zero
my frost philosophy will put no curse on me
Every culture was different, every individual their own person; and understanding another's culture was never an easy task. Bel had grown up always wondering if the kelp in others' ponds were really greener, or if seeing something new shuttered your vision from acknowledging just how good you had it. Those young-Bel thoughts had soon drowned themselves in acknowledging that perhaps the green kelp in her pond was just a disguise for the skeletons buried in the sand. For her pod certainly had it's skeletons. Nothing was ever truly as peaceful as they made believe. Too often they were forced to abandon members, too often you were taught a life lesson of not growing too close to your pod members because Goodbye came without warning. Too often she had to shutter her heart and harden her emotions so as to not become plagued by them. It had taken her far too long to see how horrible of a life style it was.
No, it hadn't been a life style . . . it had been a learned behavior. The entire pod had been forced to learn those behaviors, the only solution to living in a fish eat fish world. You never knew what else was hiding in those caverns you sought shelter in, and you had to be constantly aware least a shark surprise you and take a chunk out of her tail. There were many problems with her pod, the way they lived; but she had to also acknowledge it was the only way to live in that kind of environment. She had also chosen to leave the environment, to find a more peaceful place to live, a life she could live instead of just survive through. For the most part, she could talk about various bits of the ocean - in fact, she could spend a year just talking about the ocean and the creatures with in it with a smile on her face. But as soon as the topic turned more personal she tended to hesitate. When it turned towards the life she had been a part of, the way her pod had been forced to live - she'd go quiet. Secretive was the way to describe her, but only when it came to the world she had . . . abandoned.
Bel could also understand how someone else might be curious though, and she'd been quick to shrug of the apology, strong in the belief of being forgiven for something you didn't know would be a sensitive topic. Lasair had not been aware of the sensitivities to those questions, what the answers would be and what those answers meant to her. He hadn't know, and he had regretted causing her mental anguish over those answers. She had been quick to search for a new topic between them though, something to clear the air and switch to a more welcome conversation - so she'd done a first instinct, asking about him, and his interest in medication.
She tilted her head as she listened to him speak of training and the decision to turn it into an occupation. Helping others was certainly a worthy aspiration, a valiant one. She offered a smile to him, partially to reassure that there were no hard feelings over her way of life had been, and she wouldn't hold anything he said against him. "Aspiring to help others . . . that is quite the worthy way of life you're paving. I can most certainly assure that I wouldn't know the way to start." Her tone shifted, playful and teasing, "Considering most of the plants and vegetation I've come across thus far - in any of my travels even to get to Novus - are very foreign to me, I'd be far more likely to poison than heal. I won't even nibble on a leaf with out seeing someone else willingly eating it first." Which was definitely a good way to learn what was edible and what wasn't. She still preferred the taste of kelp, however. Sea grasses, and smaller life forms of the water, krill or tiny fish. The plants of land just . . . didn't taste right. "Have you always inspired to be a healer, or did your fins itch for another occupation when you were younger?" She asked conversationally.
She could, after all, be fairly curious herself when making friends, and she'd much rather talk about someone else then have to discuss herself. So long as she didn't poke any old scars of his, she was willing to hear anything Lasair was willing to share. "Oh, follow up question! What sort of games do foals of land play?! Below the waves we liked to chase fish, or play hide and seek. If your fins were grown in, there'd be races too. And we're taught early to be brave in the face of danger - and would dare each other into some fairly risky locations. I had suction marks for a week the time I scared a young octopus by diving into it's cave." She was willing to share some information - learning about others was a bit of a give and take - and it did some warmth to her heart to remember the games she used to play, rather than the fear of being chased by predators anyways. Most of her life had been horrors, but the few times of laughter were always cherished in her heart.
Thoughts
Speech
Tagging: @Lasairian
No, it hadn't been a life style . . . it had been a learned behavior. The entire pod had been forced to learn those behaviors, the only solution to living in a fish eat fish world. You never knew what else was hiding in those caverns you sought shelter in, and you had to be constantly aware least a shark surprise you and take a chunk out of her tail. There were many problems with her pod, the way they lived; but she had to also acknowledge it was the only way to live in that kind of environment. She had also chosen to leave the environment, to find a more peaceful place to live, a life she could live instead of just survive through. For the most part, she could talk about various bits of the ocean - in fact, she could spend a year just talking about the ocean and the creatures with in it with a smile on her face. But as soon as the topic turned more personal she tended to hesitate. When it turned towards the life she had been a part of, the way her pod had been forced to live - she'd go quiet. Secretive was the way to describe her, but only when it came to the world she had . . . abandoned.
Bel could also understand how someone else might be curious though, and she'd been quick to shrug of the apology, strong in the belief of being forgiven for something you didn't know would be a sensitive topic. Lasair had not been aware of the sensitivities to those questions, what the answers would be and what those answers meant to her. He hadn't know, and he had regretted causing her mental anguish over those answers. She had been quick to search for a new topic between them though, something to clear the air and switch to a more welcome conversation - so she'd done a first instinct, asking about him, and his interest in medication.
She tilted her head as she listened to him speak of training and the decision to turn it into an occupation. Helping others was certainly a worthy aspiration, a valiant one. She offered a smile to him, partially to reassure that there were no hard feelings over her way of life had been, and she wouldn't hold anything he said against him. "Aspiring to help others . . . that is quite the worthy way of life you're paving. I can most certainly assure that I wouldn't know the way to start." Her tone shifted, playful and teasing, "Considering most of the plants and vegetation I've come across thus far - in any of my travels even to get to Novus - are very foreign to me, I'd be far more likely to poison than heal. I won't even nibble on a leaf with out seeing someone else willingly eating it first." Which was definitely a good way to learn what was edible and what wasn't. She still preferred the taste of kelp, however. Sea grasses, and smaller life forms of the water, krill or tiny fish. The plants of land just . . . didn't taste right. "Have you always inspired to be a healer, or did your fins itch for another occupation when you were younger?" She asked conversationally.
She could, after all, be fairly curious herself when making friends, and she'd much rather talk about someone else then have to discuss herself. So long as she didn't poke any old scars of his, she was willing to hear anything Lasair was willing to share. "Oh, follow up question! What sort of games do foals of land play?! Below the waves we liked to chase fish, or play hide and seek. If your fins were grown in, there'd be races too. And we're taught early to be brave in the face of danger - and would dare each other into some fairly risky locations. I had suction marks for a week the time I scared a young octopus by diving into it's cave." She was willing to share some information - learning about others was a bit of a give and take - and it did some warmth to her heart to remember the games she used to play, rather than the fear of being chased by predators anyways. Most of her life had been horrors, but the few times of laughter were always cherished in her heart.
Thoughts
Speech
Tagging: @Lasairian
i feel no cold, i feel no fear inside my mind
Now I'm full of energy
![[Image: i-jTNwWx8.png]](https://photos.smugmug.com/BelowZeroNovus/n-X9d9fZ/i-jTNwWx8/1/e09fb6c3/O/i-jTNwWx8.png)
