"Quoth the Raven" Log Date: 5/7/99 Log Cast: Faanshi, a Large Raven (Spirit-Whisperer), Daphnea, Dremmond, Asym, Ilex Log Intro: Venturing into Haven, and out of the shelter of Atesh-Gah, has begun to alter the quiet life of the shudra Faanshi. Sorely missing both her mistress Kiera and the slave known as Thomas and Murako, the only individuals after her heart-mother Ulima who had not only been kind to her but who had spoken to her almost as equals, the young halfbreed healer has tentatively begun searching the city for clues as to their whereabouts. Already she has been able to discover that both Kiera and Thomas have left Haven, facts which alarm her -- and she's also discovered recurring rumors that Thomas Murako has begun the task of founding himself a nation, an action that seems almost uncomprehensible to Faanshi's cloistered experience. Venturing into Haven, however, has begun to broaden the girl's horizons in other ways as well. Already she has begun to creep around the citadel of the Varati to exercise her healing magic in what small ways she can, soothing the hurts of animals and sometimes, if she can manage it, the youngest of the children of the shudra and naraki who dwell within Atesh-Gah. Outside Atesh-Gah's walls, however, lies an entire city where wounded and ailing creatures seem to have gone un-healed. And now, although she is deeply dismayed by her failure to find Kiera and Thomas, Faanshi has begun to arrange further excuses to slip out into the city... so that she can look for small subtle ways to practice her magic, for she has found no one within Atesh-Gah who wishes to teach her. Little does she know, however, the truth of the old adage that begins "Be careful what you wish for..." *===========================< In Character Time >==========================* Time of day: Afternoon Date on Aether: Wednesday, August 11, 3904. Year on Earth: 1504 A.D. Phase of the Moon: Waning Gibbous Season: Summer Weather: Partly Cloudy Temperature: Warm *==========================================================================* Silent, her head bowed, a single slender figure in red and blue and gold garments ventures out of the gates of the Varati citadel. A green gaze peeks up momentarily across the top of a silken blue veil, and with that, the maiden -- for maiden it must be -- ventures off silently southward. An ebony silhouette that cuts into the brightness of the sky behind it, a regal black bird sits silently on the edge of a low roof across the street from Atesh-Gah. It's silent until it speaks, at any rate. A low, coughing call comes from its throat, and its wings unfurl, stretching out to about three fourths their total span. The raven doesn't take flight at this time, however. Large Raven A raven. This regal black bird is just over two feet long from beak to tail. Its wings, when fully outstretched, reach well over four feet from tip to tip. The jet black feathers that cover its body do not seem to be able to lie flat, and this leads to a somewhat ruffled appearance. Its beak is larger in proportion to its body than the beaks of many other birds, and the strong bill protrudes like the head of a pickaxe. The animal's black form absorbs most of the light around it, but the feathers have a distinctive blue-purple sheen to them. The Agni-Haidar ever vigilantly on watch at the gates of Atesh-Gah have little interest in the shudra who departs that sturdy edifice, even if she _is_ clad in the colors of the God-King's clan. Nor do they show any overt reaction to her, though a passing vaisya merchant going in the opposite direction can be seen to crinkle his dark nose at the girl, muttering some sort of imprecation under his breath about 'halfbreeds'. Faanshi doesn't seem to notice; indeed, the girl's head is bowed as she walks, and she never meets the eyes of anyone she happens to pass as she creeps out into the streets. This is not unusual for a Varati female; perhaps what is, though, are the glimpses of comparatively pale skin when she moves, at least in comparison to the chocolate and cinnamon visages of the guards at the gates. The noise of the thoroughfare reaches her fairly swiftly, though, and it is with a skittish gaze that she glances around long enough to try to find her way. Ooh, is that a sparkle? It most certainly is! On the ground near the side of the road, there's a metalic glimmer that may or may not be visible to the passers by on the street. It is, however, very much visible to keen eyes from above. The raven's attention is focused intently on what appears to be a small, silver trinket that somehow managed to separate itself from its owner, laying about most irresponsibly at the edge of the traffic flow. The bird watches, nervously swaying from side to side as pedestrians pass. It bides its time, looking for the right opportunity, when suddenly it swoops downward with a few powerful flaps of its wings. Its trajectory leads it just over a few heads and directly at the bauble. Skittish, that girl in red and gold and blue, indeed. As the shadow of the bird passes overhead, she starts, leaf-hued eyes flicking their gaze upward and a little gasp escaping her as she unthinkingly stumbles sideways, colliding with another Varati heading towards the gates of Atesh-Gah. This is an older woman, and apparently brusque of manner, for she utters a sharp reprimand at the girl and moves quickly away from her. The swiftly moving bird squawks loudly, a most ungodly sound, as it angles downward on outstretched wings. This is a rather bold move for such an animal, risking direct contact with the various 'two-legs' moving about. Its strike is carefully timed, however; a break in the flow of traffic exposing the treasure to an ambitions avian who's willing to quickly take advantage of the momentary space that's free from trampling feet. If a tiny bit of chaos occurs in its wake, all the better. In an instant, the raven is on the stone ground beside the shiny bit. It squawks once again. Ushas! That must be the biggest bird the shudra girl has ever seen. Daunted by the size and hue of that black winged creature, Faanshi swallows hard behind her veil, then pushes off gently from the wall against which she'd just been shoved. Perhaps, she tells herself, if she moves quietly, she won't bother the big bird...? Daphnea steps through the gates to the north and enters Haven. Daphnea has arrived. Daphnea travels south toward the intersection of Fairway and North. Daphnea has left. A quick, darting lunge finds the trinket grasped loosely by the thick bill of the raven. People are approaching, so it had better move quickly. Those wings are again unfurled, and with three jerky hops and a wild fluttering of feathers, the bird manages to take to the air once again. But then, disaster! A careless Mongrel stumbles into the path of the animal before it's more than a foot or two above the road. It awkwardly swerves to avoid a collision, and the shiny chunk of metal slips loose and back onto the ground, bouncing over to the feet of the wary halfbreed shudra. The raven readjusts its flight to follow, but it apparently doesn't look up. It's flying headlong toward the wall and the woman as well. As the bauble comes to a rest, it can be identified as a silvery, metalic arm that has been broken off from a statuette. Dremmond steps through the gates to the north and enters Haven. Dremmond has arrived. "Aie!" Faanshi cries, not knowing at all what to do, and looking only to try to get out of the way as quickly as possible. This is not a maiden trained to dexterity, however, and thus, while she is young and relatively hale, she definitely has no greater speed than a bird plummeting headlong at her. She has barely enough time to scramble sideways, her hands instinctivley flying up to shield her veiled face. The older Mongrel comes through the gates into the city known as Haven. His good eye is heavy and tired, but still he carriers himself tall and straight, almost one could say, proffesionaly, despite his fatigue. Worn across his back is a what looks to be a full leather pack, in his left hand a solid spear is carried, used like a walking stick. Hanging from the head of the spear tethered by leather tongs are various battle tokens, presumable one on the field. They clack softly against the haft of wood as he walks. As he moves into the city he looks around slowly, Steely grey eye eventually finding the odd scene afront the Atesh-Gah.. Perhaps it's the woman's cry that finally snaps the raven's attention up from the the shiny trinket on the ground. The bird swiftly shifts gears. Priorities have been adjusted, and greed is overcome by a paniced urge for self-preservation. Its tail feathers abruptly point skyward, and large wings almost comicly flap backwards to avoid the collision. Momentum wins this battle, however, and the black-feathered shape bumps into the wall, one flailing wing batting against the shudra woman. Luckily, the impact wasn't a terribly serious one. Able to slow itself enough, it is mildly stunned as it slides down to the street at Faanshi's feet. Asym steps through the gates to the north and enters Haven. Asym has arrived. Asym travels south toward the intersection of Fairway and North. Asym has left. Another little gasp escapes her, and Faanshi's hands come down to reveal green eyes gone as round as dinars at this bird that has seemingly dropped out of the sky at her. "Oh," comes a bare breath of a sigh out of her, from somewhere behind her veil, and there might be a wince there, too, as the creature slams into the wall. Surely, that had to hurt? And as Faanshi finds her palms suddenly itching, a matching pricking waking up somewhere around her ears, she realizes all at once that it _did_, at least a little. "Oh no," she whispers, reaching a timorous hand for the fallen bird, half frightened, but half pulled by that itching in her fingertips. He cannot help but watch the interesting pair, woman and bird as he see's them, but he is weary from the road and ineed of drink. So his biting mongrel wit is safed for now and Dremmond silently makes his way down the street. Dremmond travels south toward the intersection of Fairway and North. Dremmond has left. 'Oh no' indeed. The bird does, in fact, hurt. It lies slumped in the corner formed by the building and the street, an unkempt mass of black feathers. One leg protrudes outward, its toes grasping at air. The raven's wings are partially stretched out still; the animal hasn't regained its senses enough to bring them back toward its sides. It twitches for a few seconds, head jerking from side to side as it scans its surroundings from this new perspective. Another very low, short sound is made as it lies there, almost on its back. It is a large and uneasy world for a girl who is not only shudra but also halfbreed, even when she is (well, at least, nominally) aligned by decree of the God-King himself with Clan Khalida. It is a world full of many things that Faanshi fears, and many things of which she is wary and shy. Two-foot ravens, with beaks and claws which can deal damage to a maiden's unprotected flesh, most assuredly are included in that category... but this is a raven who has managed to hurt itself. And thus, for all that there is palpable nervousness in the girl's eyes, she reaches forth her slender golden fingers, making contact with ebon feathers. Those eyes over the veil narrow in the beginnings of strained concentration... and where fingers touch feathers, the aether begins to bend. It is not an entirely easy stirring, akin to a feral beast being shaken out of slumber... but once it begins, it reaches out to soothe avian pain. "You... should watch where you a-are flying, Imphadi Bird," the girl breathes huskily, as her eyes flutter shut. As your magic begins to flow through the bird, you're able to sense the normal, expected things: the creature is in shock; there are bruises along its ribs; its neck is strained from a whiplash-like effect. However, there's something very strange here, too. You can tell that there's something 'not right'. Your magic seeks this out, naturally, but it can't really identify the problem. Something is certainly out of the ordinary with this raven's physiology. Ilex travels south toward the intersection of Fairway and North. Ilex has left. The bird produces a quiet purring noise, its vocal range quite impressive. As Faanshi's touch has its effect, the raven straightens itself. With a jerky fluttering, it's on its feet and its wings are back at its sides. As the winged creature moves, Faanshi gasps again, her hand jerking up, the contact broken. Still, though, her power swirls restlessly in her blood, and she has to shake her head rapidly, trying to call the fractious talent within her to heel. _Odd..._ is all she manages to think, as she reaches blindly with her other hand for the support of the wall. There's no further protest from the animal. It's tail makes an occasional jerky movement, and its head cocks in that distinctively avian way, allowing a jet black eye to train itself on the halfbreed woman. Other than that, it's nearly still, trusting the soothing touch. Breathe, Faanshi; breathe. The bird will be all right; you can feel it, yes? After a moment, the girl cracks her eyes open again, her senses still tinged with the echo of her power's activity. But she manages to peer down at the big raven, whispering to it, "You... will be all right now, Imphadi Bird. Namaste'..." Odd, perhaps, her addressing a raven as she might a man, but then, birds do not tend to jeer at her the way men do. With that, she bobs her sari-covered head earnestly at the creature, and begins to pull herself to her feet. Perhaps it's odd to see a woman addressing a bird. It's not unknown, however. People often speak to their pets. It /is/ unusual to see a bird answer back, though.. especially if the reply isn't the rote response of a parrot. The raven's bill opens once again and then closes. One more try, then, as she begins to stand. With it's bill opened, another soft, grating call comes forth. This sound then subtlly changes, and a rough, squawking, "Thank you," is voiced at a volume low enough that most passers by wouldn't hear. It keeps its eye on the timid halfbreed for a few moments before turning and hopping toward the small silver arm that lies still unclaimed. The treasure will yet be achieved! "Great Blessed Mother of the Khalid!" Faanshi squeaks, breathlessly, shooting unthinkingly to her feet with the force of her startlement. Her hand sketches a sigil of Ushas across her breast, involuntarily, and those leaf-hued eyes of hers go round all over again over the top of her veil. Her gaze shoots in all directions -- but no, for all that she can spy passersby here and there along the street, no one is near enough to have voiced those words. And surely, no voice of man or woman would have sounded like that...? Bending over to retrieve the shiny piece of metal yet again, the raven lifts it in its bill. Quick adjustments are made so that it won't tumble away like it did before. Now ignoring the presense of the shudra who just halped it, it takes advantage of the relatively clear space near the building. A few hopping steps along this makeshift runway allow it to take flight, and it is soon flapping its way up and over the heads of anyone who might interfere. In a few short moments, it has found its perch on that same building where it started. She imagined it... surely, she imagined the bird speaking as men do! Faanshi shakes her head, trying to deny it, and not being able to make herself do so. And thus, casting a nervous glance at the winged creature who lifts itself aloft, once more sketching the sign of Ushas across herself, the girl chooses the only other option she has available to her: retreat. She has an errand into the Rialto... and an errand or two the master of the kitchens of Atesh-Gah has not assigned her, as well. She hastens off southward down the street, and in moments she is gone, only a flutter of her blue sari... and a brief glance from those green eyes... the last signs of her presence. [End log.]