#novemberday72023

[kaisinasunblade]

DWC - Day 7 - Peculiar - Nov 2024

Despite how much Kai loves the beach, the sea, the feeling of the hot sand under her feet. She loved the snow just as much. The Holiday season was under full swing, and with the Tart's annual All I want for Winter's Veil coming up, Kai was having a hard time getting into the spirit.

So while she still had time to take some leave, she choose to rent out a cabin in Winterspring for a few days. This was suppose to be the most wonderful time of the year. This would be the first year she would be away from her tavern, her home.

Those who worked for her had become like a family to her. Each year they had a small party for everyone in Booty Bay. Food, gifts, music. Maybe because she was so far from home was the reason this year seemed so much harder to get into the spirit.

She knew the next few days away from everything might be what she needed. After checking into the cabin, she put on some music and went into the kitchen.

The cabin was fully decorated in Winter Veil's spirit. Fixing a cup of hot coco, she sits down in the chair set before the hearth. She never had much of a Winter's Veil growing up, on the few that her mother was in one of her good moods, and not deep in the cups.

She had done everything she could to make sure Kai had some gifts.

The moment she had been taken in after fleeing Booty Bay, she was shown what a true Winter's Veil could be like. And ever since then she had done everything in her own power to make sure the families around Ratchet would always have a Winter's Veil dinner. Gifts had been bought for all the children. Trees were put up on their homes.

She spent the days enjoying the snow, spending time with the locals. By the end of her trip, her seasonal sprits was back. Even though none of them knew what tomorrow would bring, she could at lest do everything possible to make sure that everyone in the crew could some how enjoy Winter's Veil.

This would be a peculiar hard one for them, being away from their families.

@daily-writing-challenge

[aerdendios]

NOVEMBER DWC DAY 7 - DREAM

Sleeping within the Emerald Dream was always interesting, and while they had been warned about what would happen, there was really no way to actually prepare any of them for this out-of-body experience. The first night was met with bewildered and frightened looks as the spirit forms of the soldiers peered down at their own sleeping bodies. Many abruptly woke up, and had difficulties going back to sleep for the first few nights, others refused to sleep at all within the Dream and had set up camp immediately outside of the portal.

Yet for some peculiar reason, Aerden had felt perfectly at ease. It felt normal and natural for him, as if he had done this many times prior but simply couldn’t recall. It was rather thrilling, being able to wander about while still getting the rest that his body desperately needed. Over time, it became easier for the others as well, and they would explore the immediate area in small groups and play with the local wildlife. ‘Sleeping’ had become an absolute joy.

“Hey, have you seen the cave here?” Aerden pointed towards the side of a steep hill.

“What do you mean a cave? That’s a hill.” Matir squinted at his friend, ruffling a hand through his mop of blond hair.

“Well..yeah, but there’s a cave in there. You can just walk through the wall..”

“What? You can walk through the wall?”

Aerden gave Matir a boggled look before demonstrating just that. He stepped through the wall, and then stepped back out of the wall. “See?”

Matir hummed before heading towards the side of the hill, the exact same spot where Aerden had passed through and proceeded to walk….directly into the side of the hill with a *WHUMP*. He had such confidence in his strides that the man practically bounced off the dirt wall and landed on his ass. He blinked a few times in surprise, “The fuck, Hale. What kind of trick was that?” 

Aerden’s brow pinched together in confusion, “No..what? You can just..walk through things?”

“....NO! …Wait…are you telling me you CAN walk through things?”

He was so perplexed. “Yeah, I thought that like…we could do anything cause we’re…” He gestured down to his astral projection. “Walk through things, run faster, fly.”

“YOU CAN FLY?!”

“...Can’t everyone??”

“NO! It’s just like walking around in everyday life. What kinda fuckin’ magic you got?”

Aerden’s lips parted to say something, but nothing came out. Could nobody else really do that? Surely some of them could, or someone could. He had seen some others flying around, but no one he knew. “I…I don’t know? Sorry, Mat, I didn’t know.”

Matir stood and brushed himself off, giving Aerden a friendly slap on his back, “You surprise me every day, dude. Come on, it’s almost time to wake up.”

He followed his friend back to camp in befuddled silence.  What was wrong with him?  Or…right with him?  He didn’t even know what to think anymore.

@daily-writing-challenge

[lordrethandus]

Daily Writing Challenge November 2023 Day 7

Dream / Sting ( @daily-writing-challenge @kthalentia @corohveldha )

World: Final Fantasy 14

Theme: Space Banjo - Cosmic Wanderer

K’thalen sat in the pavilion outside the Veldha Estate, tuning up an old banjo he had found in storage a bell before. Thunder boomed in the distance, faint but growing louder every time the rolling clouds growled at each other, which only meant it would begin to rain soon; and out here in the Black Shroud, when it rained it poured.

People were laughing and talking and feasting inside, but K’thalen preferred it out here by himself. He hates crowds– always has. They make him anxious and terribly uncomfortable for as long as he can remember. Silence is his safety, solitude, his serenity. Perhaps that's why he can never seem to settle down with a woman and start his own family, even though he has women in his life that would jump at the chance. He's kept his guard up for so long he doesn't remember how to lower them back down again. A part of him was envious of people like Leo and Coroh; it must certainly be nice to have a happily ever after.

He heard the front door open but he was too busy tuning his guitar to pay it any real attention. Yet as he began to pluck the strings, the soft pitter-patter of tiny feet stepping across the yard drew his eyes to his left, and down. Staring up at him with eyes the size of dinner plates was Leo’s boy, wrapped snugly in a thick blanket that was dragging along the grass behind him. His tiny lips stained from his supper, most likely something easy for him to eat yet still messy, like spaghetti. He was still young enough to think tilting his head side to side would help him listen to unfamiliar sounds… K’thalen certainly remembers when he used to do the very same. Or perhaps it was a learned behavior for him since he has been partially raised by lalafells.

“Hiii…” He softly mumbled, rubbing his eyes with a small fist. K'thalen didn't really know how to talk to such a young boy, but he knew he had to be careful; anything he said might be repeated in front of his parents, and the last thing he wanted was to suffer the wrath of his mother.

He took a quick breath before offering him a half smile and a “Howdy.”

“Can I sit down?” Nolas timidly asked.

“This here’s yer home, lil’man.” K’thalen answered, scooting over. “Ya can sit wherever ya like.” He heard no argument from the boy, who shuffled over to the bench beside him and set his sippy cup down, then his stuffed hrothgar plushie, and finally his wooden sword along the bench before clambering up it himself.

“My name is Nolas.” He stated while making himself comfortable. “I am thirteen moons old.”

“I’m K’thalen. N’I’m thirty-two summers old.”

“You’re really old…!”

K’thalen couldn’t help but chuckle. Most folks would get upset from that, but not him– he wore his age with pride. Most Tia never make it past their twenty fifth summer anyroad. 

“Mom told me you know a person named Nolas too.” He continued, trying to rub the sleep away from his eyes. K’thalen stopped plucking at the instrument but only for a few moments; he still couldn’t believe Coroh decided to honor him by naming her son after his brother.

“Aye… I did. He was me only family.”

“Was he nice…?”

A pained smile flashed across his face as he was brought back to the days when he was barely bigger than this curious little boy. “He was… stern. Carin’. We uhhh… looked out fer each other most days. Spent a lot of time together, aye? But one day…” He had to stop himself mid-sentence– he didn’t know if the boy had a concept of death yet or not. “One day he had to go away…”

“Do you miss him…?” Asked Nolas, leaning forward to gaze up into his eyes.

“Every day.”

“Will I meet him?”

“One day, lil’man. One day…”

Nolas didn’t ask anymore questions once he started playing the banjo again. All around them came the soft patter of raindrops striking the wooden pavilion and the grass, but neither of them seemed to notice; the boy was entranced by the music, and the man was just trying to focus on playing. Yet his mind wandered.

He was there when the boy was born. Pacing back and forth with Augusta outside of the clinic, he had never heard Coroh scream so loudly; when the screaming stopped, and they peeked in to check to make sure everything was okay, he was the third person to hold the baby. Nolas was barely the size of his hand then, but he was still loud enough to hurt his ears while he wailed and cried. Seeing him now, just over a year later, almost brought a tear to his eye. The boy was falling asleep with a full stomach, and slumped over to rest on his leg barely a few minutes into the song. 

He was a good kid, at least K’thalen hoped so. Seeing him wrapped in his blanket with his sippy cup in his lap was enough to make a grown man cry. Perhaps once his business with the Black Adders was over he could settle down and start a family; the prospect of having a son of his own was tempting enough… but was it the right choice? Broken people making broken people was not his intention, but he felt a little selfish believing he could potentially do better. The idea of a K’thalen Jr. around to teach how to fish, or how to step dance, was almost enough to make this cowboy want a son for himself.

Almost.

[commanderbragh]

DWC Day 7: Guard Duty (Dream)

“Get away! Go! Get!” 

The young Pandaren stood on the steps of her home, her fists clenched tightly in front of her and a her face scrunched up into what she thought was the meanest look possible. At least as mean as a young Pandaren is capable of. For a moment, she considered growling, but then decided against it.

A few feet away from the steps was the enemy. It was the largest, most sparkly, rainbow-colored dust bunny that had ever existed. The dust bunny rolled around on the ground, kicking up dust clouds as it looked for an opening past the child and into the house.

“This is Mr. Norg’s home! He just cleaned it! Not allowed in!” Tai bellowed fiercely, as only an Earthpaw could. “Go away!”

The dust bunny growled and started rolling directly at the stairs. Tai bent her knees slightly and then leapt forward, kicking her foot out at the glittery monstrosity and yelling “For the spirits!“

Suddenly…

Mr Norg’s eyes opened and he looked around. Gripping his might weapon (that looked an awful lot like a letter opener), he scanned the area for battle. But there was none. The night air was cool and quiet. He was sitting on the front porch with his back against the house. There were no sounds in the night save the crickets and the horses stabled nearby.

“Fell asleep on duty. I’ll have to be reprimanded for this.”

Mr Norg got up to his feet, shouldered his weapon, and then began to march across the porch. “No more sitting down for me this watch.”

@daily-writing-challenge

@lilinbee

For reference of Mr. Norg:

On The Nature of Norgs

Making New Friends

Catching Up Over Tea

Facing the Darkness

Patrols and Campfires

Night Patrol

You May Not Have That!

@daily-writing-challenge

[kharrisdawndancer]

DWC - Nov 2023 - Day 7 - Dream/Sting

Mr. Qada Crowe left the Open House again after a brief, courteous exchange. They’d smiled, they’d weighed their words, and they’d each been true to their cautious natures concerning anything past surface level pleasantries.  She couldn’t help it, she liked him. There was always a sparkle in his eye like he had a secret on the tip of his tongue. She should have kept her own secrets when Qada had invited her closer to the fold of the Fleet Footed. It had been flattering, finally learning a little more about him and his past. Even about his organization. But it had been so long ago now, and they were still so cautious around one another that she had begun to question the sincerity of the sharing. Not for the first time, Braedyn  wondered if the Fleets and their leader were positioning themselves for a sting on her husband. It wasn’t inconceivable. The Fleets might have some scamps, but they didn’t feel like villains. And Fortune’s family circles ran a little rougher when you got to the edges. Her husband might be a predator in his way, but some of the fringes of the Family could run to ‘thug’, not just ‘thief’, if not well controlled.  Fortune was good at controlling them, but he had loosened his grip some as the girls had grown. Her husband spent a lot of bonding time with his daughters, and sometimes, deep in the night, Braedyn wondered if it was opening vulnerabilities. Surely they wouldn’t-- Mr. Crowe wasn’t that type. …Unless he was. If Braedyn were to sit herself down and truly reflect, she would see she liked the mystery and the little thread of thrill at the idea. It was like something out of one of her action novels. But stranger things had happened,  hadn’t they? She should be more careful. ... So why wasn't she? @daily-writing-challenge

[fio-renze]

December 2 - Day 7 Dream/Sting

She’d always hated running. Physically and metaphorically; both were unpleasant. 

At the moment she could understand the catharsis in it. There was something to be said for just going for it, bolting as fast as you could in a direction to get as far away from the crushing weight of all of your problems at once. 

Safely, of course. 

In a radius relative to the cleared and patrolled region that surrounded Talon’s and the Central encampments. There was teetering on the knife’s edge of a breakdown and being stupid, and only one of those things applied at present. 

Normal people ran, didn’t they? There were lots of very active people here who did just that every morning and evening — she’d seen them. Sure, they usually had boots on, and later when the need to just keep going as far and as fast as possible had stopped she’d likely curse the stinging nettles and brambles that had scratched at her ankles and calves leaving bright red welts in their wake. 

But that was later, and for now the blood still rushed in her ears and the emerald clover cushioned her bare feet. 

Could she become something else? Would the Dream let her warp her own form to become a sparrow or hind, able to better tackle the terrain and delve ever further into avoidance? That was a tantalizing thought, but seemingly an ability beyond simply willing it to happen. 

She’d have to work on that. It could be useful. 

Fiorenze pushed until her lungs burned and her legs felt like they’d give out — which they did right at the edge of a small embankment that gladly accepted her as she tripped and tumbled down, head over heels, into a copse of blooming hedges.  

Perhaps that was enough running for today.

@daily-writing-challenge

[ellissay-blakemore]

DWC November 2023, Day 7, Dream/Sting

Ellissay tossed and turned in her sleep. Dark images filled her mind, and voices she could not quite make out jumbled in her head.

She bolted upright in bed, her body covered in a light sheen of sweat and her heart pounding wildly in her chest. She pants, trying to catch her breath. Yet another dream.

She sighs heavily and swings her body out from beneath the heavy blankets, sitting her feet on the hardwood floor. She just sits on the edge of the bed for a moment, trying to calm herself when she hears voices.

Voices? As in more than one.

She slowly stands up and pads her way across the room, trying not to be heard. She moves toward the door, where she can listen to the voices more clearly.

"What are you doing here? You can't be here?" She could make out Shiloh's voice; he sounded upset and frustrated as he spoke to the mystery person.

A woman's voice spoke back. "Shy, did you really think I was not going to find out where you were. You have been missing for days. I thought you were dead. I practically put out a manhunt to find you." The woman's voice was emotional, and she could practically hear the tears in her tone.

For a moment, everything got quiet, and then the woman spoke again. "Come on out, Ellissay. You are clearly awake, and your emotions are so strong you are giving me a headache."

Ellissay hesitates momentarily, then huffs slightly and makes her way into the living area, where the two are standing before the fireplace.

She didn't ask, but as soon as she saw the woman, it was clear who she was. Same blonde hair, same blue eyes. His sister.

The woman turns from Shiloh toward her as soon as she enters the room and purses her lips together. "You have caused quite the fuss. I had to go through quite a bit to clean up the mess you two have made."

Ellissay blinks, her mouth falling open momentarily before she catches herself. "Excuse me?" She wasn't sure what else to say to this woman standing there, looking exasperated with her matter-of-fact tone.

Elu shakes her head, her tone berating. "You aren't excused, not even close. You almost got my brother killed, almost undone years of work and progress, and for what a few measly coins. I would have paid you double, hell, triple what SI:7 paid you. I thought you were a smart woman…"

Ellissay felt shocked, the woman's words hitting her like a ton of bricks after everything that had happened.

Shiloh steps in between the women. "Enough, Elu. She didn't know, and we could have prevented all of this if you had just gone to her and recruited her to start with instead of letting SI:7 get to her first." He looks at Ellissay with an apologetic look and sighs heavily.

His sister, Elu, shakes her head and huffs slightly but doesn't disagree with his words. "We can argue about this later. We have to move."

Elu turns toward Ellissay. "I've already spoken to your aunt, and she is keeping a watch out for me, but we need to move now. Get your stuff together…"

"No. I don't know who you are, and you could be lying about my aunt. For all I know, you have hurt her or taken her hostage, or god knows what." Ellissay looked from the woman to Shiloh. "This is insane. You can't expect me just to believe everything she is saying."

"Then, believe me." Even if Ellissay didn't remember the woman's voice, which she did, she would recognize the deep, rich blue hair that came into view. She runs up and hugs the woman she has not seen in many moon cycles. "Whisper!"

The woman hugs her tightly, whispering in her ear. "It will be alright, but you must go. I will explain everything when I have a chance. Trust me, little bug."

Ellissay pulls back and nods, tears coming to her eyes at the term of endearment the woman had called her. She quickly rushes to dress and gather her belongings.

When she returns, the room is empty, and the fire has been put out in the fireplace. The door stands open, and she can see others mounted, ready to leave. She moved out the door and closed it, locking it up and leaving the key in the mailbox where she knew the owner would find it.

She calls for her own mount. Once mounted, everyone starts taking to the sky. She isn't even sure where they are headed, but she follows behind Whisper, who seems to have stayed with the group. There are several others, one or two she recognizes, though she doesn't recall their names and a few she doesn't know. She realized they were spread out in a formation, clearly keeping those inside it safe.

From what, she wonders, or perhaps from whom? Clearly, she had pissed off the wrong people. What had she gotten herself into?

@daily-writing-challenge

[edalene-slater-ffxiv]

DWC 2023 - November Day 7 - Dream/Sting

“And here we have a satchel full of any possible medication you could possibly need during this little trip of yours.” 

Edalene slowly lowered her coffee mug before exhaling slowly, setting the cup down before crossing her arms loosely over her chest, narrowing her gaze first at the satchel that had been set so unceremoniously in the middle of the table before her, and then at the man standing on the other side of the table. 

“You know, Erik, I will be stopping at ports along the way. You make it seem like I won’t have access to anything for months at a time.” 

“You’re also the same woman who showed up at my doorstep missing an eye, so I would assume better to be safe than sorry. There’s also medication in there for seasickness, should you need it. You’ll thank me.”

“Why are you like this?”

“Why do you keep coming back?”

Edalene huffed and grabbed a nearby napkin tossing it across the table in the man’s general direction - it failed to reach all the way across. “Don’t answer a question with a question, asshat.”

He shrugged easily. “It’s fun. Anyway, different question, and a more serious one at that - did you, in your wildest dreams, think things were going to end up like this…when you approached Vahalia Cress originally? After sending your brother to that masquerade?”

She exhaled slowly. “I didn’t have any idea how things were going to play out… how he was going to latch onto the opportunity…”

“Would you still have set up that first meeting - knowing the things that you do now?”

Edalene winced as she was jolted awake by a particularly large wave - how long the storm outside had been going on, she’d lost track of the time, but it was long enough that she had had to reach into the supplied bag of medical supplies - not that she was ever going to own up to it, particularly not to the man who had provided said supplies. She refused to give him the satisfaction.

She hadn’t been able to give him a satisfactory answer to his question the day that she’d left, and she’d been pondering on the question in the days since. The harsh reality was that, as painful as it was, she probably would still have arranged the meeting….it had made sense at the time, just as the merger had made sense at the time. 

She didn’t like it, but she could still see it. 

She did still have one good eye, after all.

@daily-writing-challenge