Turn your magic on, to me she'd say
Everything you want's a dream away
Fresh death reeked. And it drew, but not only those in hunt of a meal. The stallion’s nostrils softly flared as he sought out the location, in search of material and keen to arrive before vultures found their feast. He strode with a purpose, an intent, treading over the rolling hills with the sun beaming high in the sky.
He had to be quick if he wanted the hide to stay fresh.
Picking up a trot, his painted body could be seen gracefully toppling hills before his blue orbs fell upon the site of a fallen deer. It appeared not to be killed, but injured and unable to continue functioning and thus the miracle of life fed itself, and the cycle continued. Atlaas saw no shame nor negativity in death. He appreciated the painful ways of the world in a way not many could, spotting splendour in every desperate time and always finding the light others refused to admit shone. No matter the circumstance, something positive would arrive sooner or later and with that mind set, the horned creature never failed to continue.
For the deer, it would be offering material for a great cause, as the stallion planned to create a hooded garment from an eclectic collection of hide from differing species. But first, and he came to a halt, the task at hand would be stripping skin from flesh before preparing it to craft. Bending to his front knees, his horns carefully tipped the body onto its back and once he rose again, a tool was equipped and with absolute precision, he made the first cut into the deer. From there, he skilfully wielded his curved knife to continue along the animal’s body and slowly, bit by bit, the pelt of the deer began to stripe away from the guts. Blood surely splatted his pretty coat but he did not mind, he was used to the mess.
Cally moved through the plains, following a path she could feel but no one else could possibly see or imagine. It sung to her like a current of happy energy, welcoming her into it's fold and assuring her of it's promise to never leave her alone again. It hovered in her chest, a warm presence that pulsed with the same energy the current she followed carried. The energies that echoed in the trees around her as they greeted her with brief hellos, gossiping all around her. Oak was gaining some wait, the willow was pouting heavily. She smiled with the delight and comfort that came from something so simple. The warmth pulsed, as alive as she was in the currents of the magic, the energies. Her eyes shifted closed in relief.
And then an icey-ness. Of nature pulled free, away. Her gaze turned in that direction, eyes wide as the energies around her pelt were raised around her in a swirling mass of green hues she had no control over. She huffed as the energy fluxed and twinkled, almost laughing at her annoyance of it. She choose to ignore it again, and began to make her way towards the feeling of rapidly increasing coolness. She didn't know what it meant, but as the energy grew colder and colder - she wasn't expecting for it to just disappear, like a hole ripped in the currents. Her breath caught in her throat. What was that?!
Her pace picked up, her head held high, and suddenly a pulse of energy to her left. Coaxing, wanting, begging. Her angle altered, her direction changing. A flash of energy slightly to the left, and her direction altered again. The currents rushed, urging to teach her, urging to tell her more. Wanting to share and explain. To show her what she could learn with the connection established and new, different, more. She followed willingly, and as she grew closer, the energies touching her pelt seemed to hover closer as if to urge her further. They fluxed and danced along her pelt, an array of hues and shades of green with the secrets they held.
And then the pulses stopped and ahead she saw it, the creature downed - another approaching. She watching quietly as the being lowered to his knees, moving the corpse of the life lost. Her heart sung for the innocent gone, but as she scanned the creature, she knew it wasn't a death caused by the stallion. Slowly the deer-hybrid moved closer, as the other cut into the deer. A flower nearby squeaked in shock, the currents carrying the thought to her. She walked closer still, watching the pelt of the dear be stripped from it's hide. "What are you doing?" Her voice was quiet, but hard, her large green eyes on the buck on the ground.
Watching what the other was doing, quiet and curious, and as she watched the body, silently mourning it, the restlessness of the current seemed to smooth out, accepting the new hole and carrying on in the pathways it formed until she accepted it with ease and moved forward and into a smoother current once more. Nature mourned the loss of energy and continuing on, accepting that she'd learned what the sudden vacuum, lack of energy meant. It now soothed into a mere presence in her mind, the constant promise of never abandoning her again - and so she focused all her attention on the stallion, curious but not unfriendly, "Are you harvesting it's pelt? You're a crafter than aren't you? Or do you sell it?" The hardness was gone, and now she was simply curious about what he was doing - and of course, why.
Turn your magic on, to me she'd say
Everything you want's a dream away
“What are you doing?”
Ideas, eagerness, creativity whirled through his head as he routinely separated flesh from pelt, encasing Atlaas in his own little world. He wasn’t too used to company whilst working and for a few moment shock was written on his maw and he didn’t quite know what to do. So, he jumped to defence, slightly panicked tones.
“It wasn’t me who killed her!”
A tiny fae stood close to him, jaded eyes staring. But equine? Surely not. The stallion rose to his full height where for once he was not towered over. He in fact towered over her, a queer mix of deer and equine all rolled into one. Now guilt rolled in as he looked down at the half stripped doe, understanding that to the eye without the explanation, the whole situation looked a little tasteless.
His painted chest was splattered in blood and he nodded, turning on his haunches to face her directly, an awkward laugh spilling out as he blew mane from his face. “Yes, I’m a crafter, I trade my work,” He lifted a forelimb where well-made leather satchels found themselves attached to his legs through the means of two buckles fastening the pieces in place. “I made these, and you see, I was looking to make a leather poncho from a collection of differing hides,” He spoke of his craft with pride, knowing he was a worthy salesmen and trusty worker. Little in the world brought him more joy than to hone his skills and improve. His teachings had been passed down from his father, who reportedly said to be a man of leather ran in the family, and Atlaas honoured that with great pleasure.
He looked to the deer, brief sadness expressed through his features but then a shrug came as he turned back to the small female. “It seems cruel but if I didn’t take the pelt, the doe would only be savaged by vultures, at least I can create a useful piece rather than leave a bloody mess to stain these rolling hills,” His tools had been left on the ground, needing a clean but he was not done yet. A good half still needed to be carefully removed since he did not want to waste resources. “I can show you?” Then he looked slightly horror stricken, forgetting not everyone was fascinated in the ways he was. “But only if you wanted, it’s a bit…A bit gory,”
Cally immediately felt bad for the harder edge on her town than she meant to when the stallion seemed to jump to his own defense, tone panicked, immediately trying to state it wasn't he who killed her. She was silent, watching him as he also seemed to take her in after saying it, rising to his height and forcing her to now turn her gaze upward. She figured it be best to put him out of his misery however, least he worry she'd attack him for killing a creature nature had claimed instead. The currents of energy hummed around her in agreement, "I know." She stated simply, her gaze returning to the dead doe on the ground, seeing differences between her original form and the deer of this land. "Nature has claimed this one. I'm sorry if I was snappish," She added with an awkward but sincere smile, "Her death took me by surprise, the sudden collapse of energy in the current." She explained as if her words would make as much sense to him as they did to her.
It amazed her at how quickly she was falling into synchronized living with the energy currents that wove all around her, branching off occasionally but present in distinct lines she could feel hum against her being. She turned her attention back to the male, his hide splattered in blood as he turned towards her more fully, awkwardly laughing as he explained himself as a crafter, who traded his work, indicating to the leather satchels on his limbs. Her eyes looked over them, then at him, her thoughts whirling. A leather crafter? She ran into a crafter! A smile touched her features, "You do good work, how are you in repairing split and cracked leather?" Having someone to go to after she put holes or split her satchel would be fabulous, she was struggling herself to fix anything she did - crafting wasn't her forte. Almost bad as expecting her to properly cook something - or travel with out catching her horn on SOMETHING.
He then explained about the doe, who would be savaged by vultures, stating he can at least create a useful piece from her. Cally nodded, lowering her gaze to sniff the doe. Immediately the aura surrounding her seemed to reach out to the doe, the energies giving their own silent goodbye as Cally narrowed her eyes at the energy swirling around her, "You said your goodbye already. Stop going crazy around me." She grumbled, causing the aura to spark and glimmer in easy to perceived laughter. The visible aura that surrounded her, a physical representation the energy currents had made to claim her into their folds, and now acted on a visual level with everything around her. She couldn't say she liked the parvus magic she'd gained. She resorted to her default of ignoring it and instead glanced at the male when he spoke of showing her.
Cally was no ordinary female to flinch at the sight of blood or grow queasy from gore. The daughter of a druid and a ranger, a druid herself, she was no stranger to the death of the natural world, and so instead she nodded curiously, "Sure, I was always curious how one gathered leather for materials. Though I think I'll leave the crafting of it to professionals." She stated with a smile, her inquisitive eyes returning to the merchant.
Turn your magic on, to me she'd say
Everything you want's a dream away
I liked to watch the world spin.
Spring was by far the most luxurious season of the year, rich with life brimming the world to discover untold identities, complementing the nature around to begin the telling of marvellous stories. Mouse and lion alike, we all rode the same pence that kept our world ticking, a symphony of heartbreak and triumphs that all embraced us with a luscious welcome. Death, below at my hooves, was just a small part of the cycle that concluded the tale of yet another fulfilled life. If I had known the doe had suffered misery, I would have whisper great tales to her in her last moments to remind her that all was not in vain. I smiled to her, soft and gentle. “Don’t worry, you were not snappish I was just a bit…taken by surprise,”
I brought my leg back down and continue with a gentle nod. “Depending on the severity of the damage, I can see what I can do,” Though I much preferred to craft and repair the works of my own, I was never beyond repairing the craft of another if wished. I lay my heart on my sleeve and offered without reluctance, keen in fact, to help another out and then she spoke again, but amongst my soft smile confusion sprung in my features and I cocked my head to one side. “Friends…?” Unsure of how to continue with that, debating if perhaps she heard spirits or something along those lines.
“I’ll show you,” I carefully repositioned so she could see, and lowered myself to my blood splattered knees softly. “I apologise in advance, if any blood gets upon you,” Brandishing my curved blade, my horns tugged at the skin to flip the fold back and from there, I was able to use my muzzle as the knife drove between skin and flesh. With years of practice, I managed to make the manoeuvre look smooth but in fact the separating was tough, sweaty work. Nor was I used to an audience. The pressure doubled. But, cool and calm I managed to slice the skin away without damage and soon the entire pelt came free in a sheet and I sighed, happy with my work.
“There,” I conclude, fastening my bloodied blame within my satchel and holding up the perfectly cut skin. “Now I must simply preserve the leather in a salt bath before draining it of moister, tanning and dying the colour if I wish, and then it shall be ready to craft,” Satisfied and proud, I gently lay the piece over my back, hoping my little lesson had be pleasing to her.
ooc: i hope you don't mind me switching to 1st!
tags: @Callynite
Under this pressure, under this weight
We are diamonds taking shape
The doe tilted her head as she observed the stranger by the half skinned deer who was growing colder my the moment. No longer did she feel the soft pulse of energy that signified an active current. She returned his smile, however, as he reassured that she hadn't been snappish, he had merely been taken by surprise. The little hybrid had to grin at that, the edge of it curling into something like an amused smirk, "Considering how quick you were to claim you hadn't been the one to kill the doe, I'd assume it's not the first time you've been accused of such?" She asked, tilting her head as her forelock fell around the tiny doe horns, and straight unicorn horn atop her head.
He then admitted to being able to do what he could - depending on severity of damage, and Cally's eyes seemed to shine in relief, "Oh goodness, am I glad to have run into you then! I explore so much I have tendencies to put holes in my satchel, rips in my cloak, basically - if I can manage to break it, it's likely successfully broken." She admitted, nodding to the satchel at her side that had a few ugly stitches she'd been forced to do during a quick touch up to keep it from ripping open when exploring one adventure or so ago. Of course, his smile turned confused when she spoke again - she not realizing she'd growled at the aura around her until she heard his words.
She paused, glancing at him, and as if in response to the quarry, the aura that hung around her lifted up - Cally could almost feel it's curiosity, "Uhm, something like that. My magic allows me to connect with the natural energies around us - it's how I knew the doe was here, the currents were using her to show me how different times in life feel." She spoke awkwardly, hesitantly even as she attempted to properly explain it all before finally shrugging, "It's a touch hard to explain." She admitted, surpressing the urge to glare at the aura that was once more sparking and glittering in laughter at her.
He had agreed to show her what he was doing, however, and at his caution, she carefully took a step back out of what she hoped was splattering range. He tugged the skin back from where he'd been cutting it before - and his knife drove between skin and flesh, carefully severing the ties between the two. She was quiet as she watched, surprised by how smooth the action appeared, even as she could see the struggle of the muscle and tendons to hold on to their coverings. As the pelt pulled free, falling like a sheet of hide and fur, she turned her attention back to him as the blade was put, and he lifted the skin up - explaining a process of preserving the leather in a salt bath, and then tanning and then dying it as necessary.
The doe's eyes were glittering with the information she'd gleamed, "It's definitely not something I'd be able to properly do, but it sounds like quite the process! And you're planning to make a multi-hide cloak with this - right? What other hides?" She asked curiously before glancing back down at the skinned doe, and feeling a slight push by the currents. She smiled sadly as she lowered her head towards the creature, "Are you done with her then?" When he was, she'd return the doe to the earth and the currents, so even in death she can be with the energies.
Turn your magic on, to me she'd say
Everything you want's a dream away
“Not the first,” I laughed slightly, shaking my head with honest words. “I don’t the heart to hurt even a fly,”
“Exploring is a fine way to damage property,” Merrily my voice comes, glad to have found another who trailed in the essence of adventure. Sands shifted and with it, time, and with that, each place morphed into new territory, toned with the colours of each season. Meaning, though you may have seen it all, you never truly have. Our best predictions could not portray the fate of the future. The very land she and I stood upon could be torn up in a few thousand years, or overgrown in thick forestry or captured and drowned by the strength of the ocean. Wonder gleamed in my blue orbs, I always wondered. Mind never resting as I dreamt of where we could be in the future. Would our lands grow in even more impressive stature or would what we know be mere graves of its inhabitants?
I imagined now, these deluxe hills rolling under waves of snow, crisp in the summer shine and teaming with wildlife in the heart of spring. In autumn, the tones were orange tinted and the long weaves of grasses were starting to die back. However, I still saw beauty in the sheet of scenery and was loving every moment spent here. I must have appeared distracted for just a few moments. “I know the trouble, I spend a lot of time passing through differing lands and often I scathe my wears,”
My work was a sure craft of the mind and skill. To some, ideas were hard to form but creativity brewed between my lobes and thus masterpieces (I humbly call them) came from my hooves. Though I loved the speciality of my skill, anyone could turn their hand to learn the ways I wielded my tools, some perhaps in a better fashion than even I. “Craft is hard to learn, but anyone may turn their hoof and hone their skill,” I pause, glancing at the leftover scrubs of meat. “Unfortunately yes, I wish I knew ways to make more use of her materials so not anything went to waste,”
The doe smiled as the stallion laughed and shook his head, reading the honesty in his words from the way the energy flowed. Wouldn't hurt even a fly. Cally had once been like that herself - until she learned how harsh the world can be. She'd raised her weapon more than once when in the threat of a potential enemy, and no longer balked at the idea of aiming and firing it at another if her life, or the lives of others depended upon it. The carefree Cally who would do no harm had been locked away when her magic had first been locked away. Now, eve as her abilities flowed like the currents she followed, she still didn't hesitate to raise that bow in defense.
"Exploring is the worst way to destroy my satchel. Nothin's as heart-sinking as watching your provisions fall down the edge of a cliff because a seam gave out in your bag." She huffed with good nature. "And then having to end the adventure early because you grow too hungry and the area you are exploring is a little low on edible vegetation," She added with a laugh.
She hadn't expected him to be of the traveling sort, but as she thought about it, it made more sense, "What kinds of lands have you seen?" She asked curiosity, the gleam to her eye one of an individual earnest to learn new things. However the topic soon had to revert back to the doe, and as he spoke of a craft being hard to learn, she nodded in understanding, though she couldn't fathom a world were she'd be slaving away to create a doe-hide robe, even for herself, when she could be exploring the world instead. When he did admit that he was done with the body - taking all he could, she nodded.
Her smile was reassuring, "It won't go to waste." She assured. Already she could feel the energy rising up, eager to claim the carcass, for it fuel the natural world, feeding the scavengers, fertilizing the earth, being part of the world the doe had walked upon, "For when ever any of us leave - we return to the flow." She whispered the words more to the doe than the stallion, gathering her magic in the center of her chest, before wrapping it around the doe. A soft green glow surrounded the doe as she telekentically guided the body, while her personal brand of magic slowly had the earth peeling away, layer by layer until a shallow grave sat below where the doe hovered. She gently lowered the creature, "Be at peace, your energy has returned to the currents" Her words felt ceremonious, but the energy that clung to her hide seemed to sparkle in joy at her actions. The earth slowly returned to it's point, folding back over the hole, surrounding and filling it around the pelt-less carcass. As the grass itself was once more placed down, seamless merging with the remaining foliage - as if a hole had never been there; did he turn back to the stallion, "Rest easy now. Nature has a way of making even the parts of a body left behind useful." She stated with a warm smile, even as she felt some of that exhaustion sit in from moving such a large bit of earth. Nothing that she couldn't handle, but enough of a reminder that her powers weren't at the level they were before.
Turn your magic on, to me she'd say
Everything you want's a dream away
"Oh, many,"
Across my sight I saw the dozens of landscapes I had crossed. Azure skies tainted by various weathers against imposing scenery so beautiful that if stars could see, they would surely cry at the grandeur of our world. “I have crossed desserts, seas, mountains and forests, I wouldn’t even know where to begin,” My orbs must have been brilliant with the passion that drove my travels, but a humbleness still stayed within my tones despite the excitement that couldn’t help bubble through my voice. “I could talk all day about my travels but I fear you might get bored,” A soft chuckle rolled off my lips and I lightly shook forelock from out of my eyes. “But you’re right, there’s nothing worse than an adventure cut short – My trip up the mountains was ruined by this weather,”
I watched curiously as she moved to the body and whispered to the doe, and I heeded her words to be true. Sensing something delicate was to happen I stepped back with soft hooves, watching as an emerald glow shone from the carcass. Interest craned my neck to watch as the grave was dug and as the fallen body was placed I bowed my head in honour of the ceremonious event, humbled by her caring nature for the sweet innocent life around us. Quietly I waited like an organised moment of silence, feeling at ease in my heart knowing that there was still such a kindness in the world and that others out there still cared as much for nature and wildlife as much as I.
“Thank you,” Soft smile formed at my lips, “That was rather special to watch,” Love for the world coursed my body and I felt a sense of warmth wash over me and encase me in a sheet of comfort. The sense of magic that had been felt in the air brought on feelings of mystic, surrounding me in her presence after the waking moment.
The thrill-seeking doe tilted her head, eyes eager to hear the words that may come from his muzzle when he simply answered with a Oh, many, she didn't have to wait long before her dual set of ears pitched forward to capture the words, the places that sprung from his lips. Deserts, seas, mountains, forests - he didn't know where to begin. Her eyes were positively dancing with all of the possibilities, all the different things she might one day see in this place. It was like the promise from the Gods, the first good promise they'd made to her. A whispered reassurance. We took you from your home, but you have a new world to explore now. Her magic flared into her chest, reminding her that she'd also been fighting for her place and her birth right since coming to this land. The search, the actions she had to undergo to unlock her trapped magic had been a hard and lonely time before it'd been released and she was whole again.
She forced those thoughts away, her gaze turning back to Atlaas as he spoke again, and the doe had to snort in denial, "You could talk about your travels all day, and I'd eagerly listen, providing that you supplied me with directions to get there as well. Maps are preferred of course." Her eyes sparkled eagerly, as if sensing the adventure on the horizon, "I have yet to venture far beyond the immediate lands around Novus, but I hope to one day explore the entirety of this world, like I had my homeworld." The half deer, half equine spoke eagerly, and a touch determined.
When he spoke of a trip ruined by weather the little doe had to laugh with a nod, "Mother Nature has a way of leading us away from where we're not yet ready for. Be it by predator, or natural event." Her attention turned to the carcass than, a sister dead upon the ground - and yet also not a sister. Cally could see the difference between her own deer-like appearance and what the deer of this world looked like. Similar, yet different enough to mark her as partially equine. Her ears flattened sadly as the doe horns poked through her mane, her head arching towards the creature as she gave the creature burial rites and returned her to the earth - to the flow.
Deep within, where she stood in those currents, the energy flow that arched through the natural world, she could feel the current surround the creature where she laid, zapping the last of that energy, that natural energy back into the flow, into the lines. She smiled, knowing the doe would be at peace now, that the doe had finished her cycle in the circle of life. She'd returned from where she came, her body to the earth, her soul into the current. Her energy would live on, her spirit free to the beyond. She would continue to fuel the earth even in death.
He spoke, and the doe turned towards him when he thanked her, calling it special to watch. Her gaze turned back to the earth, as the energy that clung to her pelt seemed to lean over her shoulders to stare at the ground as well, "It's what she deserved, to return to the currents." She stated after a moment as the magic that she'd called forth once more settled into her being, before she glanced at him with a smile, "It's a duty I take proudly, to serve the energies of the earth." She wasn't a true druid anymore - no, she'd become something more as this world had taken her original abilities and given her a deeper purpose. The current rose up, and the energy around her, the green glow that clung to her pelt seemed to wrap her in its' own possessive hug. The Energy Lines had taken her, had pulled her into their folds, and she'd never felt more welcome in Novus. She'd never felt so sure, she'd never felt so much like herself since she had left her home and walked through that portal. The current was hers, just as much as she belonged to it.
