"Night Frights" TwoMoons - Tuesday, February 19, 2002, 3:35 AM Log Cast: Tiana and Arnos Log Intro: Tiana's recurring nightmare of the last night of the _Windrider_'s fateful voyage finally get the better of her as she calls out in her sleep. Beach on the VastDeep Water The pale sand is full of river-born crystal and gleams with tiny rainbow lights in the early morning light. Wide and inviting, the sands stay warm long after sunset. There are drift logs here, and a large boulder pushes its shoulders above the surface of the sand. You can see footprints, small bare footprints, leading into the water and out. There is dense foliage to the north that follows the coastline closely where it bends to the northwest. Child Moon's bright full disk shines in tandem with the Mother Moon's pale crescent in the chill winter skies. The Windrider(#1655AJae) Half dug into the beach sits a very strange manner of beast. It lays, partially on its bowed side, and creeks eerily as the salty sea breeze and unrelenting surge of the ocean pushes at its wounded carcass. The beast, made entirely of wood, has what once were gaping holes in its sides. These once-holes seem to have been healed over, though badly, as if someone took large sections of flat wood and, using spikes, pierced them on, like painful wooden scales. There is a pair of glaring 'eyes' painted at the nose of the creature-thing that seem to stare warningly at any that dare to come near. It has a large horn of sorts, set oddly on the middle of its back, which seems to have ropes here and there some tied, some looped covering the upper portion and some tangled up in the rest. The ragged top of the 'horn' suggests that it was once much longer than it is now. There is a flat wooden floor supporting the hornlike mast and the whole is surrounded by a railing of sorts, as if this 'beast' were meant for others to ride upon it. Unfortunately, the deck is set at such a slant that walking upon it would be a definate challenge, not to mention that beyond the mast, the Vastdeep seems to have claimed its portion of the strange thing. Late night, and the temprorary shelters erected by the motley band of the _Windrider_'s survivors hug the moon silvered sands like huddled animals. Little is heard from the surviving crew members save for the occasional snore or nightmarish mutter as mother moon slips beyond the horizon, finishing her night's journey and taking the largest part of the light with her. >From one of the shelters, a soft, frantic muttering in the voice of the second- turned-captain tells that her slumber is less than peaceful. Lucky enough to be near said second-cum-captain, Arnos is one of the first to wake because of the noise, and he shoos the rest back to sleep in short order. Dragging himself up out of his blankets, he staggers his way towards the distressed woman, half-falling, half-sitting beside her, attempting to pick up her head and drag it into his lap so that he might brush her hair out of her face and utter soothing noises, dutifully. Brushing her hair out of her face might prove to be a bit of a challenge since it seems to have a mind of its own this night as it coils around her forehead and across parts of her face in tangled disarray. At the soothing sounds, she quiets but, only for a moment before her brow creases and she stretches out a hand as if reaching for something.. or someone.. Her voice, cracking with emotion, murmurs a mournful, "Not him.... not the captain.... Vardeus.. Nooooo..." Frowning, Arnos nevertheless continues in his attempts to tame the wild strands, as a small wrinkle forms between his brows, "Shhh... Tiana. Cap'n. You're having bad dream. Come awake now. That's enough. You don't want anyone to hear you going on like this." He lets on none of his own thoughts on the subject. Though there are no tears visable, Tiana pauses in her mutterings for a small, soft sob. She lowers her hand as she shakes her head a bit and murmurs, "I'm so sorry... Forgive me... I-I never meant..." Once more her voice trails away as she turns her head, burying her face against the leg supporting her head. The hand that she lowered only a moment before rests beside her head and slowly curls into a loose fist. Arnos's own fingers move to loosen yours, gripping them gently, comfortingly. "Tiana. Tiana, wake up, lass. You're having a nightmare, now. Come awake before you disturb the whole crew." Tiana mutters a bit more in reply to that, "I've been so awful.. so... /mean/... I.. I.." her voice abruptly cuts off as she jerks her head up and glances around with a wild eyed expression of incoherence on her features. It only takes heartbeat for her nightmare addled thoughts to gather and reality to set in. Arnos leans back a bit, taking his hands away neatly to give you a chance to orient. "Better, Cap'n? You were having a bit of a nightmare, I think." Tiana blinks as she starts to relax and reaches up to brush the rest of her copper hair from her face. It takes her a bit to find her voice before she nods in agreement, "So it would seem.." she replies then sighs and gives a little shake of her head. "I just keep having the same one over and over again..." she sighs as she twirls a loose strand of hair around her fingers, ".. Have you any suggestions for keeping a nightmare at bay?" she asks finally. Lifting one shoulder, Arnos glances out in the direction of the water. "Dealing with whatever's causing the nightmare usually works for me. In this case, I'd say it would be finding the Captain. Or at least realizing that it isn't your fault he went overboard." Arnos offers you a faint smile, "I don't think he'd give up that easily, though. He's still out there somewhere. Trying to find us, I'm sure." Tiana's gaze starts to wander over the slumbering forms in the shelter until Arnos suggests that she should realize that things aren't her fault and then her jade eyes snap back to meet his gaze, "I know its not my fault.. I just see that I could have done some things differently..." she sighs and then makes an attempt to smooth the firey nimbus of hair encircling her head. RAther than argue, Arnos simply shrugs, "However it is. If you're going to be alright now, I'm going to get back to sleep. Let me know if you need anything." And he starts to rise. Tiana watches a Arnos starts to get up to go back to his own blankets. She remains quiet for just a moment before she whispers a quiet, "Thank you," to him then lies back down to try and sleep for what's left of the night: hopefully, without the bloody nightmare. "You're welcome," comes a quiet rumble from the blankets nearby, and then silence.