#febday52022

[kharrisdawndancer]

To say Khaeris was easily starved for touch was to state the obvious. Always leaning, nudging, touching. She courted contact from the people nearest her heart, not conscious of her need. Growing up without hugs or kisses or cuddles had spoiled her when they were first given.

Tonight, alone and quiet, her body shifted with wishes, missing all of them, though her mind never quite caught up and interpreted the unshaped nostalgia that flooded her spirit.

She was restless, but she didn’t know it was for Pollux’s hand on the small of her back as she leaned on him, tucked against his left side. She couldn’t find words to express that she missed Pyraelia’s warm, dry hand in her own as they wandered through a meadow. There was no conscious understanding of the ache for the brush of Iloam’s beard in a sweetly pecked greeting on her cheek. She didn’t realize she wanted Ahualti’s hands on her elbows, helping on the water, the touch so strong and reassuring in its guidance.

Her chest tightened in want of Ashraen’s tight embrace; it always lifted her off her feet.

The soft thunk of Helal’s head against hers as they talked and sat next to each other had been missing too long. Her body remembered how it felt every time Bellani had hip bumped her down the Silvermoon streets as they cut classes.

Though she pulled her quilt up and let her hand stroke Sunny’s soft back in the quiet night, she hungered for more. Always, she starved. @daily-writing-challenge Mentions: @polluxhale @pyraelia @ourcollectivefantasy @darkspear-dancers @ashraenv Helal, Bellani

[wivien-duskgazer]

Day 5: Starve

@daily-writing-challenge

Warnings: Blood, eating flesh, death

Pound. Pound. Pound. Pound.

All she can hear is the pounding and rush of blood running through her body and her own ragged breaths being accompanied with a whistle of her lungs. As she tries to swallow it feels like all the liquid in her mouth was nonexistent and made her tongue stick to the roof of it. A faint slink is heard as she places one glaive into the dirt and then its twin follows suit. Pound. Pound. Pound. Pound.

Her entire being throbbed in time with her heart beating strong and rapidly in her chest. Wetting her lips she tries and swallow again and gains some moisture returning to her tongue. Pain had been rupturing underneath her rips and inside of her lungs for a minute or so till it has started to heal and begin the renewal process of repairing itself back to the original state. As it did, the whistle in her breaths left and she was beginning to breath somewhat easier. Someone stood next to her as she kneeled. She thought they were speaking but couldn't hear them as she stared at the pile of demons they had just finished slaying. The figure kneels down next to her and slowly brings their hand over to touch her own that was keeping a death grip on her weapon.

"You did great, Sister. For now since it is just you and I, these ones are yours. You've earned it and I'll make sure you don't get too lost in there, alright?"

Her head turned to look at the hand on her owns and instantly pulled it back. She know who this was. She was safe. It is her leader. Trust him. Once she had finally came back to for long enough to respond she nodded vigorously towards him. Under her mask she opened and closed her mouth until deciding against it and kept it shut. With a light touch of a clawed finger reached her shoulder she took a deep breath in.

"Go ahead. I've got you. Feast on your successful hunt."

At the words of permission her legs drag the rest of her body to launch at the demons. As soon as she reached one, she pulled her mask down and began to take chunks out of the felguard's body. Starting near the neck first to take out half of it in one to two bites that ripped and shredded through it like it was not full of muscles, strands of veins and layers of fat and skin. She shifted more to have her teeth become more pointed and sharper so she could continue the rate that she had started at.

When was the last time she ate?

The thought came and went through her head as she began to go through the bodies quicker. Her mind told her that she was starving and in truth she somewhat was. It had been a few weeks since they had gone and hunted for more souls to harvest. Her stomach felt like a never-ending void that could not be filled no matter how much she ate or shoved into her gullet. At some point she started to cough and huff out wheezing breaths as she needed to take a break but she. Just. Couldn't. Even if it wouldn't fill her void, she NEEDED to eat it. Needed to have it all be hers.

A voice that she couldn't place had been talking to her again and when they didn't get the response they were looking for they yanked Wivien away from the half left corpse that she had been devouring way too quickly.

"Alright, Alright. That's enough...Maybe a bit too much but you deserved to be a glutton on this one. Look at me."

He kneeled in front of her while hiding the body behind him to force her to look at him. Blood and fel was smeared and poured out of her mouth as she hacked up a piece that had become stuck in her throat. Once the blockage was out her head faced him as her body sagged.

"There you are, youngling. How was that? Good?"

Her head felt like it was full of liquid and she was swimming in it. A wave of need and a urge to continue to eat reared it's head and she almost acted on it until she thought back. That was enough. He said it was. Listen. Trust him. And so she did. She followed the orders and gave a nod before clearing her throat and wiping at her mouth. "...Much needed." Her mask went back up to cover her nose as soon as she could and took slow, calculated steps back to her glaives.

"I know, I know. Whisper took the last group and Coldin had stolen some of yours last time so...I knew you needed it. Let's get going back. The others should be back by now."

With one last look at the rest of her meal left for whatever decided it was brave enough to taste, she took her steps after Jaul and followed him back to their camp, feeling better and more refreshed while only increasing the need to feast. At least she had something for now.

[rethea-emberfall]

Day 5: Nostalgic/Starve (Rethea)

Warnings: nudity

Summary: Rethea makes a few interesting life decisions that will definitely not have consequences.

@daily-writing-challenge @themagictrick because the date came up!

—--

“Boss?”

Set the desk on fire.

Why are you still bothering to breathe? You know you’ll die alone.

Worthless. WORTHLESS.

The desk– fire, fire to the desk–

“Hey. Boss.” A large, green-tattooed hand slammed down onto Rethea’s desk, and she jolted out of her reverie, looking up at the Illidari with wide eyes. When had she come in?

“Yes, Syya. My apologies.” Rethea pushed a tentacle back over her shoulder and gave the woman a small smile. “Welcome back. I trust the job went well?”

The Illidari’s gravel-gargling voice grated on Rethea’s ears as she laughed and slumped into the chair on the other side of the desk. “Yeah, it went great. I wanted to talk to you about that, though.”

“Oh?” Rethea set a letter aside and gave Syya her full attention.

“I was thinking… That Sin’dorei you had me steal from looks a lot like you. I was wondering if she’d be grateful to know just who’d done it.”

Rethea squeezed her eyes shut for a moment as the voices went loud and rabid. It had not been a good day, not with them. It took a moment, but she was able to breathe deeply and give Syya a thin smile. “We agreed on ten percent, Syya. I should make it less because you just threatened me, but I won’t. You’ll get the cut you gave your word was enough to guarantee your silence.”

“And if I talk?” She draped her legs over one of the arms of the chair and gave Rethea a bright smile.

“...You don’t want to do that. I take protecting myself very seriously.” Rethea’s hands white-knuckled against the edge of the desk, but she kept on calmly. “And there’s always your reputation to consider here, as well, in addition to our mutual safeties. You were portrayed as quite the bully before I hired you on, to the point that people were beginning to pass you over for work. I’d hate to have to use word of mouth to undo all that character building you’ve been focusing on recently. You’re only just now getting used to having a roof over your head again, yes?”

Syya’s searing eyes narrowed into slits, and she rasped, “Fine,” before rising and stalking for the door. “I’ll bring it in.”

Rethea closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair, head swimming as the voices whispered again, calling for Syya’s blood. But she was an employee, for Light’s sake. She had promised to protect them all.

Breathe. Breathe. Don’t set fire to the desk.

She was nearly herself again by the time Syya returned, strong-muscled arms bulging as she carried a chest into the room. It slammed onto the desk between them, and she flipped it open. Rethea carefully ignored the crest on the lid and focused instead on the sheer quantity of coins inside.

She counted out Syya’s cut into a large pouch and offered it up, keeping her face carefully neutral. “Close the door on your way out, please. And don’t put either of us through this again.”

Syya closed the door without a word, and Rethea let some of the tension ease out of her back. Her twin sister was going to know exactly who had done this the second she noticed the money was missing, so there really wasn’t much damage the Illidari could do if she spoke after all.

Rethea ran her fingers through the coins in the chest, smiling thinly as metal clicked against metal. This was certainly one way to get her inheritance. She likely shouldn’t have done it at all, but it was so satisfying to take what should have been freely given by her family. Of course, they wanted nothing to do with her since the Void. And now that this was done, ideally she would no longer have anything to do with them, either.

Rethea picked up a flyer that had been stashed atop a small pile of notes at the edge of her desk and looked down at it, making a thoughtful noise. The burlesque troop that she’d seen a show from several months ago was hosting a silent auction, offering up dates in return for money. She only recognized one name on the list of options. At least she thought she did. Hadn’t Ryland been the one who gave her a cupcake when they’d both been sitting and enjoying food at the market? He’d been easy enough to chat with for the few minutes they’d spoken. And good conversation was one of the main points of a date.

Hmm. She could rarely attend the troupe’s events, but the show she’d seen had been lovely, and she wanted to be able to show her support somehow. Rethea pulled a piece of parchment close, picked up her pen, and began writing down her information, as well as her bid. It was time to make a statement with her money that her family would absolutely despise.

“This is for you, dear sister,” Rethea murmured as she sealed the letter and rose to post it. “May you choke on your embarrassment when you hear.”

****

Rethea won her chosen auction, which honestly made her feel a bit uncomfortable. The poor man was obligated to spend time with her, now. When Ryland suggested meeting in Booty Bay for drinks, cliff diving, and swimming, she agreed even still. She decided that if it seemed like they weren’t having fun, she’d cry work and free him from the obligation. Her main point had been to help them fundraise, after all.

Still, it would be nice to be social with someone who wasn’t a coworker. So she decided to give it a try. At least if drinks were involved, the voices would be more muted than usual. She'd be able to keep herself together. (She would.)

She dressed for being outdoors, putting on far more casual clothes than she normally wore. As always, her scars were covered. She didn’t wear her fanciest bathing suit, or put on much in the way of makeup. She did, however, stare at herself in the mirror before leaving, face set in a frown.

“Be good,” she murmured, talking openly to her hair. It was a habit she’d fallen into recently, and was trying to break, but this was important. The last thing she needed to do was freak out some poor guy because her–

One of her tentacles slithered along the back of her neck, petting delicately. Rethea sighed and pulled her attention away from the mirror. How she could tell when her hair was mocking her, she’d never know. But, it was time to go meet Ryland. Just a few drinks and a nice chat. Easy enough, right?

****

Rethea woke face-down on a strange bed, vaguely aware of two things: the sun was too high in the sky for it to be morning; also, she was not alone. Her hair rustled along the pillow as she turned her head to find Ryland, passed out cold next to her. One of her tentacles was stretched out and resting against his shoulder.

Blink. Blink.

She stifled a laugh, covering her mouth with her hand and rolling onto her back, being careful not to wake him. Memories from the night before surfaced from her sleepy haze, and she took a moment to consider just how she’d ended up in bed with a near-stranger.

The conversation had been great, as had the drinks and the diving. He’d been flirty, but not overly so. He’d been polite, too. All of that she had expected going into it, and none of it would have led to her falling into bed with him.

But, then, after she'd answered all his questions about her hair ("Can you feel with it?") he’d told her how he too used to hide behind illusions in order to be accepted, which had felt like a punch to the gut. And then there was the fascination with her hair. Those two things combined in a critical way, and for once she was left not feeling like the absolute monster she was.

Rethea was very used to keeping the company of other people who felt the same way about themselves as she did. Worgen, other Ren’dorei, Death Knights. She couldn’t hide her tentacles or her scars, and yet Ryland had made it feel like the most natural thing in the world instead of some sort of flaw. Having a few hours where being in this strange, changed body of hers wasn’t a waking nightmare had been something she’d badly needed.

And Ryland had seemed like a safe person to relax around. She needed company, not attachment. Not after the last time.

…And her hair had liked him, which was a miracle. She certainly took advantage of its good mood as much as possible over the course of the night. After the swimming, during helping him cheat at cards over drinks, he’d risked a kiss. When her hair petted him, easing along his neck and shoulders as she leaned in and returned it, he’d actually seemed pleased. Light. Touching someone had felt so good. Since the Void, she’d been starved for it, even though she usually actively avoided physical contact. Which was pathetic, but… it hadn’t been enough to keep her from throwing herself into the night and having some fun for once. Blessedly, her hair didn’t try to ruin things. In fact, it had seemed to enjoy his skin almost as much as she had.

At this thought, she reached out and ran a hand lightly along his bare arm, letting her nails trace his skin. He stirred with a deep, sleepy breath. When his eyes opened, she smirked at him, and he gave her that gorgeous smile in return. “Morning. Ah, afternoon, actually. Want lunch? I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”

[frostahesmegabite]

A Real Pilgrim's Bounty!

Nostalgic/Starve - Day 5 - DWC ( @daily-writing-challenge ) [ I have to make massive content warnings for blood, gore and just fucked up shit in general with this story. So, please, if you are squeamish, do not read it as it is Nightmare Fuel for Megahes. ] It was that time of year, Pilgrim’s Bounty! Every year the Frostbite’s would come and gather at the Filthy Animal in Dalaran and throw a massive Pilgrim’s Bounty party! Megahes spared no expense in making foods and hiring a Bartender to make sure the drinks kept coming and for the largest part, what food wasn’t made by Naturasu or himself, was brought in via pot-luck style from the rest of the company! It was an amazing time where Megahes got to lavish his people with thanks for their efforts, for all the jobs well done. It really was a wonderful time and probably one of the most cheerful times outside of Winter’s Veil! Now that holiday popped off even more so! That aside, the thanks were past and so were the cheers and calls. Everyone around the table was eating and conversing with one another. Some of them laugh and tell stories. Darla and Scratch, down on their end laughing and flirting while in a way, trying to make it not obvious. Mako and Axl, flirting not only amongst themselves in clever and coy ways, but Axl making sure to spread the love via his Tentacles whenever he was caught toying with someone in some coy, flirtatious manner. Naturasu was of course her usual shameless self and any man at the table was free game with the flirts, heck, today was such a good day that she was even spreading it over the women too! Kappi and Zimble went back and forth, as much as a composed scout and mechanically gob-posedTech-lin can as they discussed jobs that went sideways and then jobs that went so well that they could orchestrate their efforts. Heck, even Attzi was here and she brought Dave, who, despite being undead, did his best to fit in food wise and brought some specialty Stuffed Shrooms which had apparently been some Forsaken Specialty! He wasn’t even sure how, but they managed to bring Maeris into the mix who absolutely refused to keep referring to Zokkine as a ‘New Hire’ despite having worked with him for nearly two years now. Megahes sat at the Head of the Table, smiling from ear to ear with a moment of pride at the group of people he’d somehow managed to hire or attract to revolve around the company in some fashion. Content to have watched for several minutes, he broke his gaze and leaned in, practically diving into the plate of Barbecued Ribs and Meat that… oddly enough reminded him of Ranek’s recipe! Perhaps Naturasu meant it as a surprise of some sort?

Eat up Sugar, don’t starve yaself now. Whatever it was, it made Mega feel absolutely ravenous as if he hadn’t just eaten several plates of food and junk that’d he’d definitely hate himself for later that night or the next day. He needed more. Faster and faster, biting into the food so haphazardly that he was nearly biting at his own fingers as he broke bones and chomped on them till swallowable all while stripping away meat and licking the sauce from his fingers. It was until someone grabbed him and gave him a hard shake that he realized someone was not only talking to him, but the whole table was looking at him in absolute horror. That’s when it registered. The food wasn’t quite food… It was his company. His friends. The men and women he hired and who had saved his life several times over. Their bodies had been torn through and ravaged as if by a pack of wild animals, only, the only creature who’d done it was… “Boss Megahes.” The cold mechanical voice of Zimble shook him hard and he’d realized he was perched on the table, shirt torn open and bloody handprints all over him as the people he tore into probably tried to fight him off to no avail. Naturasu and others, faces he couldn’t place now spun around him at the horror as he looked down at what he had been eating. His stomach bulged hard, curdling as his stomach lining most likely burst in an effort to fit everything. He looked more akin to a feral monster than himself but… that quickly went out the window as he realized he had been eating on… on… his vision blurred hard and he went to scramble backwards at the revelation that he had been eating what looked to be a Troll and Goblin half breed child… Was that his… His…? Immediately he began to scream as panic kicked in! What had he done?! He’d shove his hand into his mouth in an effort to induce vomiting but nothing came! His stomach churned and he’d grab at it, feeling his innards violently roil and roll. Something moved inside of him and his panic went haywire, looking up at Nat and Zimble both as he tried to crawl away while also holding himself. They were on him in no time at all. Naturasu holding him down as she became hard, indifferent, to him. There was no love there, no hate either… pure clinical treatment like some ward doctor. “Zimble. You have to get them out of there…” “Of course, Miss Nat.” Suddenly, a musical tune begins to play, one Megahes immediately knew and for the first time ever, it made fear sink so deep into his bones that all he could do was start to choke. Zimble came to Megahes’ side, looking him in the eye with his own robotic oculus. “Clear your mind Mister Frostbite. I have detected elevated levels of stress, fear, and corruption in your system… we will purge this for you.” Zimble’s mechanical arm lifted, its gears and plates shifting as wire’s were pulled and rearranged. What had once been a hand was now a power saw, aiming to come down on top of Mega’s body-filled gut.

"Just allow the Nostalgic Melodies lure you onto Easy Street…" Megahes immediately bolted upright from his bed, screaming in horror unlike what he had had just nights ago with his Legion PTSD. This was so real to him. Not a memory, obviously, but it was so real. He could smell the metal from Zimble’s Tech’lin augmentations. He could smell the alcohol and hear the laughter and even taste Ranek’s sauce! Poor Naturasu, she’d nearly been thrown from the bed entirely as she’d been trying to wake him up from a Nightmare that did not allow him to come to. His hands burned hot and hard with white fire with the mixture of his Holy and Fire Magic. Fire burning blisters just as quickly as the Light was healing him. His skin bubbled and flattened in weird patches all over until he realized he was under no threat here. Naturasu didn’t dare try to wrestle him down, not like this. Not when he was like this. Mega’s powers slowly faded, and there in the Zocolo, they were left in the dark of their home and he’d crumble to the floor. “ImsorryImsorryImsorryImsorryImsorry…” It was all the man could manage as his knees his the floor and like the darkness that enveloped their bedroom, Nat too, was on him just as quickly, offering sweet shushes and calming words as her fingers ran through his sweat soaked hair. It’d take some time before he’d calm from this and by morning, the two were sitting in the corner of their bedroom, Mega’s spine shoved into the point between two walls, as he explained his dream over coffee with her. ….. Unbeknownst to either, a dark blob of ooze thrums under the mattress, slowly churning as its form shrunk more and more, until finally, nothing was left in the slightest. Somewhere, in the dark, a heavy laugh comes as if another victory has been achieved.

Audio made on Kapwing

[ I borrowed Tim Curry's Laugh from Hexus in Ferngully! All credit goes to that amazing man! ]

[luminashdawnwing]

An Interlude

February Writing Challenge 2022 Day 5 - Nostalgia / Starve

The wind still blew through Luminash’s hair, loose strands flying free. The deck of the Broker ship now, though, was empty save for him and Jaskian, both seated on a bench outside the cabin. Neither of them had yet to muster the energy to search it, though they would in due time. Whatever course Xy’kelos had set, the ship still drifted onward through the In-Between under its own power.

It was, Luminash admitted to himself, a rather lovely backdrop for a moment of respite in what had, by all accounts, been a rather interesting day at market so far.

“Do you ever get, just, tired of this sort of thing?” Luminash posited, though he scarcely had to speak for Jaskian to know what he was about to say. He leaned against her, still overcoming his ordeal. How often, it seemed, was she his pillar.

She laughed - one of the most welcome sounds Luminash thought he had ever heard, especially while his wrists still chafed from Xy’kelos’ cuffs - and nodded, “Of course, but it couldn’t be any other way.”

“Couldn’t it? Remember when we met?” Of course, they both did, “Archaeological digs, projects, travel, but it was so much calmer then.”

Another laugh, and a nudge with her shoulder, “You mean when the world was just getting over almost being cracked like an egg? Oh, so much calmer.”

Luminash raked his fingers back through his hair in a vain effort to control it, “Fair enough. But we could visit the city, have a drink, take some time for ourselves between crises.”

“Are you really waxing nostalgic for losing in a drinking contest, Luminash? In public? In front of your colleagues and all?” Jaskian asked, a bit of pride in her voice, given her role in that contest.

“Not only that. Just that… Do you feel we are in control of our lives anymore, or has it been given over to greater powers?” He laughed at himself, “Oh, this sounds ridiculous. I’d rather be foolishly nostalgic than to start navel-gazing.”

She shook her head, “With what has been happening? It’s scarcely ridiculous.” She smiled brightly, giving him another nudge, “I can’t say for sure, but I do know it is probably healthier right now to look for the happy things than to dwell on what you can’t control.”

“A problem I have, I am well aware,” Luminash admitted.

“Think about those days in Orgrimmar, though. A new magister and an apprentice. Who were we, then?”

“The kind of people who could find a moment to themselves without someone coming to them for help, or with a new tip about some lead, or site to investigate, or leyline anomaly, or…” He trailed off, “You know what we are now, Jaskian?”

Without missing a beat, “Respectable, Lumi.”

“So we are. So we are…” He looked over at her, a smile spreading across his face, “One thing I don’t miss is the days apart. I do not know how I got so lucky, in the end.”

“Not just because you’d have become, what, Cartel Xy’s battery without me?” Jaskian teased.

Luminash only smiled beatifically in response.

The couple sat for some time - how long, they could not tell, alone in the In-Between - in quiet, enjoying the breeze, the gentle feeling of motion, though it scarcely felt they were going anywhere. In their minds, in their shared knot of sensations, they were somewhere else.

Luminash pruned back a creeping vine in his rooftop garden, gently adjusting the other plants to fill out the planter now that the dead had been cleared to make way for new growth. The leaves shimmered, iridescent in Suramar’s twilight hours. He could feel the gentle thrum of the arcane flowing through them - if he looked just right, he could see it flow, like the very blood in his own veins.

Jaskian was downstairs, at her workshop, deft hands twisting the wires of a filigree encasing a lovely violet gem - crystallized mana, the sort that dotted all of Suramar. The silver and purple would make an excellent addition to either of the mages’ wardrobes, especially when visiting the market. When in Suramar, do as the Nightborne do, after all. She smiled to herself, pride in her work swelling up.

In the present, though, the magister and magistrix let their eyes rest, dwelling instead in their dreams. There did not need to be pain in going home when home was within themselves.

@daily-writing-challenge and @kharrisdawndancer​ for Jaskian!

[lordrethandus]

Daily Writing Challenge 2022 Day 5

Nostalgic / Starve ( @daily-writing-challenge​  @serararku​ )

World: Final Fantasy

Theme: Pascal - NieR Automata OST

Ul’dah was up to their old tricks again. They couldn’t outright attack the Zu Tribe without violating the peace treaties and turning every Seeker of the Sun tribe against them overnight. Instead of risking a war that would throw Thalanan– if not all of Eorzea– into chaos, the little halflings concocted the “ingenious” plan of trying to starve them into compliance; they would discourage roaming aldgoats from entering their territory, while introducing wolves to devour what they couldn’t kill themselves. The Zu Tribe couldn’t really do much about it alone. They were only two hundred strong, not including the children, and even the greatest two hundred warriors on this star would have an impossible time dealing with four thousand soldiers, assuming Gridania and Limsa Lominsa wouldn’t join the fray if war broke out. It was a bleak and infuriating predicament to be sure, but desert miqo’te were nothing if not adaptive. 

S’era had been walking for malms, circling the outer edges of her people’s territory in search of food; she had left when the great burning champion was still falling from the sky, but now the land was cloaked in darkness and briefly forsaken by her goddess. It was dark, cold, and thanks to the rain clouds clashing overhead, increasingly wet. But this rare occurrence was a boon, not a bane; animals from all over would be gathering at the miniature oases scattered across the valley, and fortunately the storm’s chorus deafened her footsteps while the rain helped mask her scent. Unfortunately, however, she was not alone.

“Are we there yet? My feet hurt.” Whined S’yumi, a little girl in her seventh summer who was too busy whacking the nearby shrubs with a stick while pretending she was a great warrior. Just a few paces behind her was little S’aki, a girl barely five summers old that still sucked on her thumb but watched S’era’s back with wide and attentive eyes. Neither child would likely join the warrior caste, nor the hunting caste, as they seemed to lack both the patience and passion for stalking prey and foes alike. Still, they insisted on accompanying S’era for this hunt, so they could learn what it meant to be a heroine like her. “Tell us another story!” S’yumi excitedly cheered, raising her arms up as her stubby little tail wagged behind her. “Did you really kill a hundred shelled men with your fire sword?”

“Be quiet or they’ll hear us.” S’era turned around to make sure they hadn’t wandered off; fortunately they followed her like two ducklings. “Don’t you want to eat some aldgoat tonight?”

“Yes…” She mumbled, whacking another shrub. “How much further? I wanna eat goat right now!”

“I’m… hungwy too…” Piped up the younger girl. “My belly huwts…”

“Soon. Just be silent. We’re almost there.” The children weren’t starving if their chubby limbs and cheeks were any indication; S’aki still had yet to lose her milk belly when she stopped breastfeeding two summers prior. It was always tradition in the Zu Tribe to let the youngest to eat first, followed by the coveted First Wife, tribewives, huntresses, warriors, matrons, elders, and lastly the Nunh in that order. Their main source of food came from endurance hunting– chasing prey over exceptionally long distances to tire them out. Ul’dah knows this as well, which is why the amount of game they have found has been dwindling over the past few summers. S’era has been trying to get her tribe to focus on agriculture like the woodland tribes of the Black Shroud and coastal tribes of La Noscea do, but it hasn’t been easy. Fertile topsoil isn’t exactly in abundance in the dusty wastes of Thalanan.

S’era’s eyes flickered in the wet dark when she saw it. A billy came trotting out of the thicket to drink in a fresh pool of gathered rainwater; it was a little leaner than S’era had hoped, but it was still large enough to crush her ribs if it managed to land a clean head charge. An easy meal for all thirty five children.

“When are we gonna eat?” S’yumi tugged at S’era’s garbs as she asked, while S’aki preoccupied herself with chasing down a toad foolish enough to come out to bask in the rain.

“Quiet. I almost have the shot…” Their guardian plucked an arrow from her quiver and pulled her bowstring back as far as it could go. She steadied her breath as the beast lowered his massive head to drink, while the children began to grow increasingly restless; eventually they too saw the beast in the distance, their stomachs growling immediately.

“Ba-a-a-ah!” Squeaked S’aki amidst her excited giggles. “Ba-a-a-ah! Ba-a-a-ah!” The aldgoat snapped his head up and looked in their direction! S’era was forced to take the shot, letting loose a stonehead arrow to spiral and twist through the heavy rainfall!

SHWOOK!

The billy goat cried out in pain, instinctively leaping into the air and kicking its hard hooves back several times before taking off, running in the opposite direction in a scampering frenzy! S’era slipped an arm into her bow and slung it over her shoulder, before scooping up both girls under her arms to give chase! Even amidst the wailing clouds overhead she could hear the beast’s labored breath, with the faint smell of blood in the air quickly washing away with the rain. Both girls were giggling to themselves as they ran, alerting every beast around them that danger was close, but S’era no longer cared. At the end of the withering blood trail she found her quarry leaning up against a rock, breathing his last desperate breaths as blood filled his lungs.

“Yay!” Squealed the girls, who wiggled free of her grasp to run off to the beast. Even in their joyous celebration they were smart enough to stay away from the back of the beast– even the kick of a dying billy would be enough to take their heads off. Instead they each grabbed a horn to keep him from goring them, with their tiny hands running across the matted wool of his neck. Blood trickled from its nose and mouth, with the arrow buried deep just behind the shoulder. S’era missed the heart, but managed to strike both lungs, drowning the beast before it slipped unconscious and died.

“A blessing from the Warden.” S’era turned the beast onto its side and pried open its mouth S’yumi’s stick, letting the spirit return to the land to be reincarnated once again. When she clasped her hands together and closed her eyes, the children hurried to either side of her to do the same. “O Azeyma, we offer you tribute for your continued love and protection.”

“O Azeyma, we offer you… tribute for your love and protection.” Repeated S’yumi.

“O Azeemuh. We offer you yumyums for your love.” Repeated S’aki… sort of.

“May the beast be judged accordingly in your presence, and return as a noble aldgoat once more.”

“May the beast be judged in your presence… and return as a noble aldgoat again.”

“May the ba-a-ah beast… heehee… return to… to be yummy again!”

The Elders would have chastised the girls for their disrespect of the hunting prayer, but they were malms away and S’era knew they were just silly little girls. Besides, she didn’t like the Elders anyway– they claimed to be the voice of Azeyma, but S’era wasn’t as convinced as everyone else; to her they were just a bunch of old crones lurking in their underground caves, feasting on bioluminescent mushrooms to invoke ‘visions’. The little girls snapped S’era out of her gloomy mood once they started doing their celebratory dances. “They remind me of myself when I was around their age. Father took me out on his many hunts… and but I was still more behaved than they were. At least until the eating started.” 

The wool would be used to make more bedding for their tents, the skin dried and cured to make new clothes for their youngest, the horns would be hollowed out for instruments, the eyes, teeth, and testicles reagents for the Elders’ magicks, the hooves carved into jewelry, and the skull and spine a trophy for the childrens’ mothers to show the hunt was successful. Everything else would be roasted and eaten.

“Yum yum! Yum yum! Yum yum!” They chanted in unison, bringing the brightest smile across her face. 

“Maybe I won’t wait another summer to have children of my own after all…”

[shadowbladedaiyu]

Nostalgic/Starve

Daily Writing Challenge 2022 Day 5 - Nostalgic/Starve ---

“I remember what she was like. Kind, thoughtful. She let others think what they wanted, and they would always underestimate her. That was Hana’s secret, she kept close to her chest. Many did not catch on. Many continued to think of her as weak. And then....they saw her as their defender. A little girl, standing strong in any battle she faced, even if she was the one who was the most afraid. That is one of the many reasons I admired her.” Daiyu had spoken her words long ago, she had found peace with her friend’s death. But even though the years had passed...a part of her remained nostalgic - still yearning for their childhood any time a blossom would fall from the trees in the Arboretum of the Jade Forest.  Hana had family there - a few Ink Masters that called the Jade Forest their home. Often they would visit, and Hana had always invited Daiyu. She knew how to harvest the stingers from the wasps, how to pick out blossoms with exactly the right hue of color to be used. It wasn’t the same now. But no longer would she allow herself to be starved of lonlieness. That part of her she refused to let surface again. Her line of work was dangerous, and she needed to have a steeled heart and mind. Perhaps some would see her as cold, without feeling. That is what she’d let them think. It made certain jobs easier, if she was to be under estimated.  Even though she always felt like her ancestors were watching her...would Hana be doing the same? A bitter part of her always hoped that she couldn’t. @daily-writing-challenge​

[aislinnelaquorra]

DWC - February - Day 5 - Nostalgia

@daily-writing-challenge​ ​

TW: Death mentions for Aislinne Notes: @jotaro-kuujo for Wulfric Ryder

It’s always been amazing to Aislinne how vibrant the sky can be in the savanna-like region of Thanalan. Though, in the Goblet, there’s plenty of colorful flora where she sits in the center plaza of Ul’dah’s residential area. Water flows into the pools from the multitude of fountains and some residents enjoy themselves or take time to cool themselves off in the pools. Aislinne, however, was here for a different reason.

She had recently sent a letter out to a member of the adventuring group she had been the head of as her previous self, thinking she’s spent long enough putting off reaching out to them. He responded back a few days later with a time and location they could meet in the Goblet. Aislinne sits on the ledge of the central fountain, waiting for her companion to show.

It isn’t long until he does. The tall, dark-skinned Ala Mhigan strolls into the plaza and scans the area. Likely looking for a Viera, she thinks to herself. She balls her fists to psyche herself up before approaching him from behind. “There’s our Silver Wulf,” she calls out as she stops a yalm behind him. “Or was it Silver Ryder? I could never decide which I liked the most.” 

She watches him whip around to face her.. except he’s looking at his eye height, since she used to be just about as tall as he was. "Wh- Aislin--” He looks down to the source of her voice and is taken aback for a moment. “I’m terribly sorry - who are you, exactly? I was supposed to meet a friend here and- Wait who told you to call me that? Did she put you up to this?" 

Aislinne shuffles nervously, “No, no. She-- I-- This isn’t some elaborate joke, Wulfric. This is... who I am now.” She opens her arms in a weak manner to show herself to him. “I am Aislinne.”

He remains silent for a moment, “Th-that-- No, I know what she looks like.” He pulls out the letter she had sent him and quickly skims over it again, “Your letter was convincing but she’s a blonde Viera girl, about this tall. You don’t exactly fit that description.” He takes a step back, “I don’t know what kind of prank you think you’re playing, but it’s not very funny.” He shakes his head at her, like a father scolding his daughter, “ Does she know you're doing this? Do you think she'd be happy to know you're sending letters to her friends pretending to be her?”

Aislinne rubs her face, “No this is-- agh, this was so much easier with Na’fisa when she saw my memories.” She plops back down on the fountain ledge. “Can we just.. sit here and talk? You can quiz me on anything! Things I’ve said, places we’ve been to, adventures we’ve had. I’ll know them all.” She gestures to Wulfric for him to join her, “And if you still don’t believe me after all of that, I need you to take a long look at me until you can see my memories and how this happened.”

He follows her to the ledge but paces a bit instead of sitting, “ "Well I'm intrigued to say the least. You know about The Echo, so there's virtually no way you don't know at least some of what you're talking about." Wulfric spends a few moments thinking, “Thancred! Do you know Th--” he stops himself short and scratches his head, “No, that man gets around too much, hm... How about Papaly--”

“Papalymo? I met him and Yda in the Twelveswood when I first became an adventurer in Gridania.” She leans back on her hands as she places them on the seat behind her and awaits his next question.

The older man crosses his arms, seemingly from a position of power, "Alright then, what of his opinion of Aislinne? Only someone who was around the two would know!" He smirks and Aislinne can tell there's more to come after this.

She thinks for a moment and reminisces about the Lalafellin Scion, "Well, he used to think of me as somewhat brutish, swinging around that gunblade. He would compare me to Yda in that regard, but I knew it didn't come from any malice. He knew he was in good hands." Aislinne chuckles and smiles a bit longingly, "I think he'd be surprised to hear that I studied with Krile and the Students of Baldesion for a short while. I look forward to telling him when we find him and Yda."

Wulfric seems to deflate a little. Maybe from feeling stumped or defeated. "That's fairly specific.. but you could be guessing or mayhap you heard it from someone who shouldn't be telling you these things." He eyes Aislinne suspiciously, examining her further while rubbing his chin. "Alright then, how about this? There's a story Aislinne had been too embarrassed to tell the others about."

Aislinne's eye twitches and she's taken aback for a moment, "Wh-where are you going with this Wulfr--"

"Hells, she even asked me to keep quiet about it," he continued. "Some time ago, Papalymo tasked us with aiding a Sylph from Little Solace. Just she and I. It was meant as a test of our perception and communication, though we weren't privy to that knowledge. We were chosen because we were like-minded: brutish and impulsive and tactless. What happened on that mission?"

Aislinne holds a hand at the side of her face, trying to hide from the embarrassing memories. She sighs with a defeated look, "We.. we were tasked to find the Sylph's pet 'Bunny'. Though this was our first time interacting with them, so we weren't used to their manner of speaking.. I, thinking it wasn't such a dangerous mission, decided to leave my gear and weapons behind. I thought the noise of metal clanking together would scare off a rabbit." A smile lights up her face with an embarrassed expression, "It took us all day, but we kept calling for it and the Sylph, Moxia, came to check on us. That's when a large, simple looking creature we know as a goobbue charged out of the thicket all excited. It... it scared me half to death and caused me to scream like a child." She chuckled lightly, "Then the Sylph flew up to the goobbue's face and flicked its forehead for going missing.. so as it turned out, 'Bunny' was a goobbue all along.."

Wulfric furrows his brow and pinches the bridge of his nose, “That’s... that’s exactly right.” He sighs and shakes his head, “This doesn’t make any sense.. there’s no way... You couldn’t have guessed all of that, but what you’re telling me is at least a little bit unusual.” He turns to face her directly, “How am I supposed to believe all of this?”

The Auri girl takes a deep breath, “Come and sit Wulfie. I’ve much to tell you, and you’ve much to take in.” She waits for the wizened Ala Mhigan to take a seat next to her before she begins telling him her story. She explains to him her previous self, how she was once two people, and that her previous self died and her soul became one with who she is now over the course of an hour.

Wulfric scratches his chin for a long moment, "That's a very tall tale, which isn't to say it's not true, but it is rather hard to believe." He turns more towards her, "And do you know how this could have happened? I haven't ever come across anything like that in any of my studies.."

Aislinne smiles, but looks a bit solemn, "I wish I could offer a more complete answer, Silver Wulf, truly. But all Krile and I can surmise is that this is how my Echo has manifested. When I die, my soul travels the lifestream to where it belongs next. We aren't certain what determines that either, or if it will always be someone I've met. As far as I know, it's the first time it has ever happened."

Her companion looks up and continues stroking his chin. "Well, it does have some interesting implications. I've heard of people returning from the dead in their own bodies, but to be able to move to an entirely different one is very strange. How do you decide which version of you is you if you remember being both people?"

Aislinne chuckles, "This has all seriously piqued your interest, huh?" She bumps him with her shoulder, "It is a bit difficult to place, but I think the best way to put it is.. I don't think of myself as either or, but rather.. something more. Someone that has both experiences and carries them -- learns from them."

He pauses for a few moments in silence. "That definitely is an interesting outlook. I can't imagine many people share that point of view, though I'm not sure many people have a chance to experience things quite in the same way..." He shrugs. "For what it's worth, I'm convinced. Strange things happen every day and I'd be a damned fool if I pretended I know all of it for certain. There are always new strange things to learn about." He looks off into the distance. "And above all else, it's good to have you still. However it is that you've made it back, I'm glad you did."

She smiles and stares off into the distance as well, "It is good to be back, Silver Ryder." She giggles again, "I'm still not certain which I like more." Aislinne leans back on the fountains ledge and stares into the bright blue sky, "And now that I am, I was thinking of pulling our group back together.. though I haven't been able to get ahold of our other Auri fellow.." She furrows her brow, "Well, he's always been somewhat of a drifter.. So instead.." She shuffles a bit nervously, "Do you... remember that tanned, pretty Miqo'te that helped us rescue Qiqi from the Garleans?"

He nods to her, “I remember. You’re thinking of brining her into our little party for good?”

Aislinne nods back, avoiding eye contact, “I am... though I still need to run it by her, and she may want her sister to join as well.

Her companion shrugs, “We could always use an extra pair of hands. We’re far from a Grand Company, so we’re not exactly swamped with applicants hoping to join us,” he laughed heartily. “If you’re worried she might not have what it takes, she’s free to test her skills against me.”

She smiles a bit longingly and digs her heel into the ground, “I don’t disagree that more hands would be good for us, but I do believe she has what it takes... it’s more that...” She clear her throat and says quickly and quietly, “I’d like to spend more time with her..”

Wulfric raises a thick eyebrow at her knowingly, “Oh? Is that right, now?” He grins at her.

Aislinne fidgets, realizing she’s not being subtle at all, “Y-yeah, that’s right.”

Her turns in his seat to face her, one knee on the ledge where they sit and leans in with a smirk, “So? What’s stopping you then?”

From inviting her or from spending time with her, she asks herself. “I’ll uh.. I’ll go ask her right now then!” She pushes herself up from the fountain and begins to walk off with a quickened pace. Wulfric watches her as she stops briefly and turns back to him, “Oh and... not a word of that story to her, hm?” He raises his hands in a gesture to her that seemingly says ‘You got this’ as she smiles nervously and gestures her goodbye before turning to leave again.