mind over matter. (Fox!)

[Fox]

Lea was rather certain by this point that Ze’el was the most socially inept person that she had ever met. Under the surface tension there was an awkwardness that his body language didn’t completely manage to hide. The young woman was good at reading people; it was almost part of her job description to advise and counsel, so she had developed an eye for it even if she didn’t always utilize the skill. The former midwife had a tendency of barreling into things; her mouth leading the way and everything else following after, but when she sat up and paid attention like she was now, she could be a force to be reckoned with. Brown eyes fixed almost unwaveringly on Ze’el, scrutinising and dissecting his reaction to her words even as a small smile lingered around her mouth. Another thing that she had learned over the course of three years was how to divorce her whirring mind from her outward appearance and hands. In much the same way as Ri’ley’s hands had remained steady in his stitching even as she had ripped into him verbally, L’nan could be calm and clinical and cold even as she offered sincere smiles and comfort.

Still, though, it felt almost pathetic that the small, ever-so-slight softening of the other man’s mouth should seem like such a triumph. And lo! Information offered without having to go through the painful process of twenty questions! The grin that quirked at Lea’s mouth was more than a little bit amused, but she nodded her head jauntily in response to the fact. ”Alright, so you’re a farmer.” She said, adding that to the list of traits she was compiling about Ze’el in her head. It couldn’t be denied that the woman was curious, though. Even though she had seen a few farmers go out into their fields, Itnala had been primarily a fishing settlement, and Lea hadn’t had that much time or inclination to spend outside learning how farmers did their jobs. Sayaie was different, though, if the stories were true. At least as different from Itnala as Eyrie was. ”Sayaie is very agricultural, isn’t it?” She asked after a moments pause in which she bit her lip before deciding to ask anyway. ”What is it like? Or-- well-- you don’t have to answer me, but I would like to know.” There were plenty of other people that she could have asked, Lea figured, but the question never came up whenever she was around those other people. It was probably best to ask now before she forgot. Sayaie seemed almost unreal; it was apparently the centre of life in Pohono. The first human settlement, the congregation of so many expert craftsmen and exporter of so many essential foodstuffs that little Itnala and forested Chydyn could not obtain. And, well, if the question served to get Ze’el to speak more then so much the better.

The pair went down in a jumble of brown and red feathers, and Eoreph found herself loosing her balance more out of surprise than anything else. She had been moving quite fast when she had slammed into Dareph, and the momentum was clearly enough to knock her larger brother off his feet. For a long moment after the collision had resulted in Eoreph being tangled in a heap with her red clutchmate, the tawny simply lay there, somewhat stunned by the force of collision. Her beak hurt a bit from where she had impacted Dareph, but after a brief inventory the chick came to the conclusion that she was not hurt. It happened quickly enough that even L’nan did not have time to react beyond a startled glance at the two hatchlings before Eoreph was on her feet and nosing Dareph over worriedly with her beak in an almost unconscious mirror of her concern earlier. This time, it was for a more tangible cause. She had not been looking where she was going, and now she had possibly caused her brother harm! Concern laced the tawny’s anxious chirp as she checked Dareph over again before stepping back to view him with large, worried brown eyes. I am sorry, Dareph. Are you injured?[/color] Eoreph, mothering little creature that she was, had not even noticed Dareph’s concern towards her own person; she was completely occupied by any possible harm that she might have caused to her brother.[/size]

[Cy]

[/b] He offered lamely, a facial shrug moving his features as he looked down to his hands and tilted his head over. The gears of his mind churned for something more to say. Their farm had not been rich in any regard when compared to others, but it was decent-sized, there’d been more than plenty to do, so, in that respect, perhaps the whole of the place was agricultural. The market square was bustling, crowded and loud. The bars had been filled with jovial men and pretty women. It was a place of hard-workers, ambitious souls, and wide-eyed children. He’d tuned it all out to focus on what concerned only him and his family. He cleared his throat. “I didn’t really pay a lot of attention to it. I just worked.” The excuse felt weak as it left his lips, and he wasn’t entirely sure why he felt compelled to have an excuse for his lack of description anyways.

Tangled up in her, unhurt and worried, he held as still as he could while she sat stunned at his side. He nosed her, whuffling with exhales that were both ticklish and concerned. He said nothing as his warm brown eyes watched her carefully, taking in every movement and expression and feeling that he could. He tenderly nudged the edge of her mind with his own, as if he could eavesdrop on her inventory, but then she was thrusting herself to her feet with graceful ease and his head was shooting up in surprise. His eyes were wide and yet observant as she poked at him, her behavior familiar and soothing, and he would have smiled if he could. He let her look him over, scan him for injuries that weren’t there, for her own peace of mind and perhaps out of some guilty pleasure. He dipped his head respectfully when she finally spoke to him, still worried and nurturing. ‘I am fine, Eoreph, please don’t worry.’ He assured, his voice amused and kind, but strong. Firm, for he truly did not want her worrying. She was lovely when she cared, but her concern was unnecessary. ‘Are you injured?’ He mimicked sincerely, holding her with his gaze and the depths of his own unnecessary concern.[/ul][/size]

[Fox]

Ze’el was good at stating the obvious, Lea realised. Sayaie was busy. Well, even a blind man could have told her that. A thousand and one other questions flashed through her mind as the tawnyrider heaved a faint sigh of exasperation. He was trying, yes, and so was she, but honestly this whole process was beginning to resemble tooth extraction. Finally, the woman gave up, and it took quite an exercise of self-control for her not to throw her hands into the air in sheer disbelief. For a moment after he spoke to explain, she said not a word, and her face underwent a contortion of emotions before she mastered it with another sigh. Her good hand came up to rub over her eyes tiredly where a headache was beginning to form. ”I’ve never been there, and I could have guessed that.” She shot back, voice sharpening unconsciously before she winced and renewed her grip on her temper. But not before the words burst out of her; ”Sayaie was the first settlement on Pohono! You lived there, didn’t you?”

Unbidden, a soothing blanket fell over L’nan’s thoughts, calming her and smoothing the edges off of her agitation. Eoreph shot her bonded a glance as she warned gently, Mine own… that might not be the best way to speak to Dareph’s.[/color] It wasn’t just that it was impolite to do so; Eoreph was almost certain that the man would take offense at her bonded’s heedless words, and she didn’t want Hers to be on bad terms with anyone. How would they help the other winglets and riders if there was bad feeling between them? I know that, Eo, and it’s obvious that he’s not good with people, but really! How far can something like that go? Lea knew all this, of course, as the tawny thought it, and through her exasperation she could concede that Eoreph was right. And it wasn’t as if she didn’t want to be friends with this man; he was just making it really, really difficult. Already they’d had a misunderstanding, and now this. ”Look, is there something that you would like to talk about? Because frankly I’m running out of ideas for conversation, but-“ Here she took a breath, fixing what she could see of Ze’el’s face with an eagle-eyed stare. ”I would still like to get to know you, because we are both Winglets, Eoreph and Dareph are siblings, there is a high chance that we’ll be working together at some point and because generally I think I could consider you a friend.” The high-speed rattling off of reasons released some of Lea’s frustration, and she took a deep breath after she finished. The offer of friendship was something she normally would not have said aloud, but with Ze’el it was really safest to not rely on the subtleties. Still, though, her brown gaze when she raised it to try and meet his eyes was flat with determination. She was done. If he wanted to talk, then it was his turn to try and find something to say. ”What say you?”

Eoreph blinked mildly as Dareph returned her own question to her, surprised at his concern. She was the one who was supposed to be worrying, not him! And yet, it was endearing and somewhat sweet that he cared. The tawny normally would have waved off any injury in favour of tending to others, but under Dareph’s scrutiny she was compelled to be entirely truthful. Bruised, possibly.[/color] She said, dipping her head both in acknowledgement and to indicate her beak. Not severely, though; it doesn’t even hurt much.[/color] The tawny explained, giving her feathers a light shake to return to her usual picture of health. The warm eyes she turned on him thanked him for his concern without words, and she silently touched her beak to his neck feathers in gratitude and apology. The antics of their humans was not lost on Eoreph, distracted though she was. And… If you could please assure Yours for me that L’nan means no harm? She is more direct than she should be…[/color] Briefly, she exhaled into his feathers, whuffling them in much the same manner as he had done in attempt to tickle her before the tawny took a few steps back to a position near her bonded where she could watch the proceedings and provide admonishment if need be.
[/size]

[Cy]

[/I][/color]

No.

His breath felt thick in his chest and the pound of his heart felt heavy. His anxiety was obnoxious at best, but he forced his breathing to remain as slow and steady as it could. He felt overwhelmed, by the situation and by emotions. He hated emotions. They were distracting and confusing and they suffocated him frequently. Through the simple presence of his thoughts, he tried to focus on what she was saying. He didn’t want to because, quite simply, he didn’t like what she had to say anyways. He didn’t want to be reminded that she was working to speak to him. He didn’t need to be reminded that he was difficult and pathetic and all of the things that he’d already been reminded of for years. He was a fractured man and he hated that he felt like she could see that. He didn’t react in any way. He merely blinked when his eyes began to sting with the need for moisture and he kept his jaw tight and his eyes down. What did she honestly think a man like him would care to talk about if he’d been unable to talk about anything as it was? Her logic made sense, but he disregarded it anyways. Her final comment was a lie, plain and simple. Her deep breath was exasperated and her gaze was steady. And she asked him for his opinion, and he finally lifted his head so he could look back to her.

“I say no.”

For once, there was confidence. There was a strength in his words and a solidity in the structure. His eyes met hers straight on. He was confident in his anger. A bundle of awkwardness and nerves, fumbling and fidgeting, but he was comfortable in his aggression. And in his hostility, turning her down, he was at home.

Dareph felt warmed by the way Eoreph breathed into his feathers, the sensation light and tickling, but he felt distracted and heavy. His heartstrings tugged when she stepped away from him and his warm brown eyes focused briefly on her lovely face. But then he did as requested and craned his long neck around to switch his focus to his upset bonded. ‘Ze’el.’ Now, his voice was firm and unmoving. ‘L’nan means no harm to you. She wishes to be a friend and warriors should have friends. You should have friends. Please, try to ignore her temper.’ It seemed an ironic thing to be warning such a sensitive man to mind someone else’s temper. However, this particular irony was lost on the former farmer as he merely blinked and looked back to the lake, lips still set in that hard line. It was unclear as to whether he was minding the woman as encouraged or simply waiting for her to hobble off.[/ul][/size]

[Fox]

When the answer came, as much as L’nan was expecting it considering the prickly personality that Ze’el had displayed thus far, it stung. It was an almost physical sensation that she only just managed to not flinch away from, but she could not stop the flicker of hurt appeared on her face, only to be replaced by a flat mask of indifference. He wanted to play this game, then she could do it too. But Lea wasn’t about to give up just like that. Oh no. More than proud, she was stubborn. By her side, Eoreph chirped anxiously at her bonded, not liking the sudden swirl of bleak wilfulness that invaded the tawnyrider’s mind. The tawny’s large ears pressed backwards even as she pushed back mentally, forcing calm. L’nan pressed her lips together against the gentle urge to reconcile that was not altogether Eoreph’s alone.

”It’s too bad you feel that way then. I don’t. ” There was a seemingly echoing finality to those words; a decision made, though perhaps not the one that Ze’el might assume had been. She would work at this man, slowly but surely, and perhaps one day they might be friends. One day. Right now, though, Lea’s own anger and stung pride forbade her from making any more advances, building a defence of spikes and thorns about herself. It was one that even her Eoreph, who knew her better perhaps than she knew herself, had trouble surpassing. With a last look at her bonded’s set face and the faint stubborn jut of her jaw, the tawny let out a sigh. For a moment, she drooped, sensing yet another failure to prevent her bonded from loosing her temper on a fellow winglet; Dionyph’s Ri’ley had been bad enough. This time, the tawny decided with a faint shudder of nerves, she would try and bridge the gap first.

Please excuse me, Dareph.[/color] she said softly, unobtrusively, as she flicked her tail over to brush at her red brother (for some reason she extended these small touches willingly, much like she did with her beloved L’nan, without fear or anything because Dareph was Dareph and the shy tawny was perhaps more than comfortable in his benevolent presence) this time deliberately widening her projection to include Ze’el, where before she had only communicated through Dareph. This was, perhaps, not strictly polite. But Eoreph was beginning to realise that if things were left merely to the hatchlings’ human counterparts, nothing would get done. Stepping forward, the tawny flicked an ear guiltily to the slightly sharp query of ”Eo?” before she interposed her pale brown body between Ze’el and the lake. I am very sorry, Dareph’s Ze’el, if Mine has offended you. She intends well, truly. And her offer is true. She is sorry as well…[/color] Eoreph’s voice was hesitant, and her body language-- slightly hunched shoulders, ears pressed back, brown eyes wide and innocently beguiling-- screamed apology for this mental trespass.

Behind her, the young woman’s mouth had fallen open as she struggled (for once) with speechlessness. The only sound that escaped L’nan right at that moment was a strangled noise of mingled disbelief and outrage. But Eoreph would survive it, because there was no way that the woman could really stay angry at her bonded. And damn the fact that the tawny knew it all too well. Um… Just consider it please.[/color] Then, downy feathers fluffed up in embarrassment, Eoreph turned tail and darted back to the relative safety of her bonded’s side. Her bonded who was now sitting in determined silence, her pride leaving her in a bit of a bind. She would not speak. But she would not allow herself to simply get up and hobble off either. For now, L’nan simply sighed and took a leaf from Ze’el’s book, turning to look out over the lake. It wasn’t as if there was anything else for her to say anyway.[/size]

[Cy]

[/I].”[/b] For a moment, it might have seemed unclear what point he was attempting to make as he paused, as if surprised by his own outburst, but then he took in another breath, slower and deeper, and continued. “The market is massive. People from all over come around to trade and buy and work. I’ve heard there’s things in Sayaie that can’t be found elsewhere, but I dunno for sure. It’s… loud and it’s suffocating. It’s… quiet on my farm and I don’t leave it unless it’s necessary.” He blurted in a thick rattle, voice gruff and scrambling. He confided. Jaw tight, he sat in another pause before deciding that he didn’t want to stick around for her to cause him any more humiliation. In jerky movements, he shoved off the ground to stand and simply turned to walk away, Dareph left behind for a moment before he too finally lifted to follow after his bonded, craning his neck to look back to the tawnypair that Ze’el was looking to retreat from.[/ul][/size]