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Post by cenedra on Mar 29, 2006 22:58:03 GMT -5
High in the trees of her forest, the Head huntress of the Dryads flew from one branch to the next, her agile and swift movements matching those of any cat or bird for that matter. The vines or branches of all the trees of course, assisted her, as they wouldn’t ever even consider allowing their Queen to fall from their heights for any reason. Their rough bark or sticky tendril caressed her softly or supported her strongly as she landed or if the distance was too far, the trees themselves would bend closer to accommodate her actions until at long last, she was safely sitting, perched in a quiet spot in the forest, looking about the floor with her honey colored eyes alert to any problems that might be at hand, and of course, admiring the creatures of the forest as they went about their daily tasks of collecting food or simply frolicking in the trees or about the forest floor.
CeNedra was the most ancient of Dryads living today, her memories were those of all the past rulers as well her own and the very trees themselves. She felt every ailment in every plant as well as any creature of the forest. She was connected to every fiber of the forest. The mass murder of those animals not so long ago still stung her like opened wounds still healing and she vowed that when she did run into the magic force responsible, she’d pay him or her back without regard for his or her please for mercy paid any heed to.
For now however, CeNedra was not on the trail of the menace, she was simply scouting, a daily journey she took about the forest, something she’ d done for a lifetime now. If someone came about or along the path beneath her, she’ d then choose as to rather she’d wish to speak with them or simply disappear in the canopy of leaves and limbs and vanish from sight as she normally chose to.
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Post by Tim: High Chaos on Apr 5, 2006 2:43:58 GMT -5
The soft sound of footsteps could be heard down below on the small dirt path. A man was slowly walking, turning his head blindly every few moments. He had golden hair, long and thick, almost wild looking, waving in the breeze. The man wore black leather from almost head to toe, the exceptions being bronze boots, a red sash, golden gauntlets and what appeared to be a mesh undershirt under his leather tunic. Around his head, over his eyes, he wore a red band, shoddily tied into a knot, the twin ends flapping with his hair. He touched each thing he could, as if he was feeling his way along the path, guiding himself along in the dying light.
He paused and swiveled his head from side to side, very quiet. He exhaled deeply and smiled, his ears perking up slightly. If nothing else it looked like he was taking a moment to appreciate something, but them began to move ahead once more, down the path that lead along the outskirts of the forest. There was another breeze, this time cold and chill and, in response, the man pulled the black cloak he wore around him, the red lining drawn tightly around him.
He paused again, this time looking as if he was considering something. After a moment he decided to sit down on a nearby stump and rest. He sat down on the hard wood and withdrew a small, wrapped loaf of bread and began eating it, sometimes breaking off a few crumbs and throwing it on the ground in front of him, leaving something for the local birds and rodents to eat. Eat bite he took reflected deep thought and reflectance, slowly chewing, then a small break, then finally the swallow, each rhythmic and slow. The metal gloves cut through the bread as easily as a knife would have, making it effortless to tear chunks off of the loaf.
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Post by cenedra on Apr 5, 2006 2:59:39 GMT -5
CeNedra watched this curious creature that had entered her forest. She could sense in him something different from any other creature she’d come in contact with, something new and as with all Dryads, she did not trust him, would not and could not. All the same, she reached out, a limb from the nearest tree stretching out for her to climb onto to take her nearer the new arrival.
Her golden, amber gaze looked down on the figure sitting comfortably upon one of the new growth stumps of a long ago fallen tree as he ate his snack and as well, as to how he seemed to spread a few crumbs to share with the local wild birds that had now flocked, hesitantly about the rims of the area in which the creature now sat. CeNedra smiled at the tiny creatures and then mentally urged them to go forward and take up his offering; they did.
Suddenly, the creature below her found himself surrounded by a dozen or so small birds, quietly chirping, talking to one another as they each greedily took up what he had offered them and then, there was the sound of wings once again and they disappeared back into the safety of the trees, their beaks full of the offering the creature had set out for them.
CeNedra found this time to walk her way down the trees, limb after limb reaching out to support her as if making steps for her to gracefully make her way to the ground. Once her feet touched the soft surface of the forest floor, she adjusted her bow at her shoulder as well, allowed the quiver of arrows at her back to make a slight jingling as a way of announcing her approach to the creature.
She had taken notice of his sightlessness and figured it would be best to announce her arrival from the canopy other than striding up to him and blurting out her appearance from nowhere, though she had her suspicions that he already knew she was there.
Normally, she would not have made her presence known, but curiosity had taken hold of the Head Huntress and so it was, the most untrusting creature now stood, only a few feet from the resting male, her back against a large oak who’s branches seemed to quiver in readiness to aid her if she so needed it.
“They thank you.” She said simply, her voice that of neither friend nor foe, though coming out confident as well as under lying in a note of curiosity. “What is your business in my forest stranger?” She then asked, making no mistake that it was indeed her forest.
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Post by Tim: High Chaos on Apr 5, 2006 3:39:35 GMT -5
The man continued to tear bread and seemingly ignored her, for almost a full minute he continued feeding the birds without a single word said, one would start to believe he was deaf or dumb as well as blind. After some time he took another bite of bread and slowly chewed, swallowing once thoroughly convinced he should. He tilted his head up from the birds so his blind face was now looking to where the voice had come from. “If you can tell them they are very welcome.” He replied, his voice soft and thoughtful.
He took another bite of bread, rolling the brown paper back a few inches and tossing more crumbs about. There was an expression on his face that implied thought. “Your forest?” He replied. “How do you truly own a forest? That is like saying you own these birds, or the air, or the earth we both stand on.” He chuckled slightly, feeling a bird come close. “You may have those things but you do not own them, they allow themselves to be had, you cannot own a living thing.” He smirked slightly, not sarcastically or smugly, just the right amount to show he made a point.
He bit into the loaf again and pulled off a little bit more than he could chew, using his fingers to pull it apart with his teeth. He tossed the torn half to the birds and chewed the other half. Behind the band the man had his eyes shut, lids pressed together, there was no need to open them. He pulled out a leather flask of water and put the spout to his mouth and felt the cool liquid rush down his throat, purging any clinging crumbs. He pulled the flask away from his mouth and sighed. “And what fair maiden, may I ask, owns such a voice as you do? May I know your name?” He asked, folding one hand, still clutching the loaf, over the other.
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Post by cenedra on Apr 5, 2006 3:54:24 GMT -5
CeNedra watched him still, never moving from her position as well, never changing her expression of mixed curiosity as well as mistrust. She now crossed her arms about her chest and tilted her own head as he spoke of owning anything. He was correct in his terms and the use of what she had spoken and then, a slight smile might have even slightly turned up the corners of her lips.
“I stand corrected in the use of terms then Stranger.” She stated, as he had not given her his name, she would continue to call him as such. “No, I do not own one single living thing, I only use that term to make it no mistake that I am the one responsible in the care of these creatures and as well growths in this Forest.” She then stated. “And I am curios as to the reason behind her venture into what would be my home.” She corrected herself and once again stated she wished to know his intentions. “As for my name, I am called CeNedra.” She responded, giving him her name without hesitation.
There was another silence between them as CeNedra watched her friends gather the crumbs he had continued to toss fro their enjoyment. “They are gracious for your treats sir, and yes, I can talk to them.” She then responded and stated all at once. “As to what I am, is Dryad.” She told him once again not hiding a thing from this creature that sat before her still in his relaxed seeming state.
One might think she had gotten relaxed and begin to trust this man before her, but then that person would be a fool, as once stated that she was Dryad, anyone with any knowledge would know she was not here to be friendly, nor would she trust any outside into the Forest.
“And you, what might I call you, as apposed to stranger, as I know you are not Human, or, at least you do not seem to be.” She asked and then stated.
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Post by Tim: High Chaos on Apr 5, 2006 4:12:48 GMT -5
“Indeed, in fact I am human.” He answered. “Hard as it is to believe when looking upon one so strange, no?” The man grinned. “You may call me what you will, I have no real name, that I have truly long forgotten, nor care to remember. I remember T, I, and M as my initials so if you must you may call me Tim.” He broke more bread and tossed it to the birds, occasionally popping some into his mouth.
“As for my purpose for my visit I merely am in need of a walk.” He continued, drawing his cloak up around him as a cold wind blew past. “It is quiet in the forest and I thought I should stroll through the tall trees.” The man took another drink of water, coughing slightly as he failed to swallow it all correctly. He heard the birds chirp happily and smiled in their general direction before turning his face towards where he believed the dryad was.
“I have never had the pleasure of meeting a dryad before; I have heard they are rather beautiful, if not for their attractive features then for their elegance.” The man nodded. “If you would not mind me seeing you, could you please come closer?” He blindly offered his hand, gloved and cold, actually offering it a few inches off of where she was, making him look almost pathetic in his obliviousness.
He did not expect her to accept, though he was honest in his confessions, he had not met a dryad before and he had heard they were beautiful. He twisted his head gently from left to right unsighted in an attempt to understand his surroundings.
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Post by cenedra on Apr 5, 2006 4:32:36 GMT -5
“Tim it is then.” She stated after his explanation of his namesake. “It is possible that you can indeed see me then?” She questioned, her curios nature still quite apparent. “And yes, it would seem fitting that you have never before seen a Dryad, Tim. We tend to keep to ourselves, most of the rest of the world does not deserve the opportunity to know we even exists, however, there are unfortunate times when they do interfere with things they should not.” She continued, a slight edge coming to her voice as she spoke, remembering the deaths of all those creatures, not far from where they now stood and sat.
Was he actually asking that she touch him? She tensed at his outstretched hand, the tree she leaned against giving a rustle in response to her sudden heightened apprehension. She did not trust this man, nor would she fully but the question was as to rather she wanted to allow him to know what she was, to ‘see’ her in his own way, and, his admission of humanity, even if there was still something underlying there that disturbed his admission, he was a human and male. Those two facts seemed to play down her nervousness and heighten her Dryad’s natural instinct to flirt. She was becoming very much confused, as there was the one hand that he seemed to be friendly enough and human, then there was the other, the something that underlies that humanity that still hung in the very air about him. Finally however, her curiosity got the better of her and she took his cold hand in her warm grasp and stepped away from her tree towards him, now standing just in front of the male, her tiny hand swallowed by his.
“Then look as you will Tim.” She stated, that same confidence that had always been there still present, though with a note of her apprehension apparent now in her voice.
All he would know about his surroundings now was that it seemed the very trees themselves seemed to move inwards towards them when she took her few steps closer, the small light that was still present in the time of day seemed to be all but completely closed out now as the trees had indeed closed about, knitting their canopy together, forming a sort of looming presence that if nothing else, could be felt. It would as well seem that suddenly the entire forest became quiet, as if holding its breath.
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Post by Tim: High Chaos on Apr 5, 2006 4:45:29 GMT -5
He felt her take his hand, he was grateful. He reached out with his other, plated hand and touched her lightly across the face, his head tilting up, concentrating. "Yes..." He murmured in thought, using his palms to touch her face gently, mapping out what she looked like. "You are very beautiful, such as I have not witnessed in such a long time." A small smile appeared on his features.
"I apologize though as this is the only way I can truly see what you look like." He explained. "And do not worry about the fingers, I will make sure you are not knicked by such harsh things." He lowered his hands from her and laid them on his lap gently. "A blind man has many burdens in the world." He said finally. "Not being able to totally appreciate the wonders of the physical word is one of them."
"I suppose from what I hear you must be very much so my elder." He told her. "Though from the sound your voice and look of your face I seem to be much closer to my end than you ever would be." He smiled once more. "Tell me, would you do a tired, blind man good and spend a little time with him?" He waited for a reply, patiently breaking more bread for the birds surrounding him in their quest for food.
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Post by cenedra on Apr 5, 2006 5:03:31 GMT -5
CeNedra closed her eyes as his hand swept over her face with amazing agility and softness. His touch, though cool to her skin, was very much soft and it took her by surprise, she had expected a much less graceful touch, but was greeted with one that was skilled as well as oddly favorable. After he had placed his hands back on his lap once more, she remained where she stood, though the sounds of the forest seemed to once more come back to life again as well, the looming presence of the trees backed off as well, though continued to shudder from time to time, sending from time to time a small array of color that floated down in the guise of leaves or needles, depending upon the type of tree that did the shaking.
“Thank you.” She then said after a pause. What else could she say, he had complimented her and for one of over 1000 years old, compliments were still enjoyed. “Yes, you would be correct I am very much your elder in what would be considered human years, though I am still quite young for my race.” She told him now stepping to his right, she had decided to remain closer to him now, taking up a seat on the forest floor, the tiny birds now taking that opportunity to hop around her, settling down on her shoulder form time to time, speaking to her in their small voices or perhaps singing their songs of joy to her in their musical voices. “Very well, I shall keep you company for a time.” She replied, now becoming more relaxed in his presence after the moment of trust she had given and was not betrayed.
This in no way would say that the Dryad had fully allowed him to become what she would call friend, nor was her trust in him complete but she had relaxed, he had done something that not many would have had the patience to do, and that would be to get a Dryad to actually sit with him, in personal terms, instead of in a prisoner guard relationship. CeNedra looked up at him now instead of down upon her visitor. “So tell me, if you would.” She started, once again adjusting her bow about her shoulder to better accommodate her new position. “Where is it you come form Tim?” She finished, her amber eyes looking at him, moving over his entire structure now.
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Post by Tim: High Chaos on Apr 5, 2006 5:24:03 GMT -5
“Alas, I cannot give you the answer you seek.” He replied quietly. “At least in the detail you would wish. I come from the human city, not far from this forest. I apologize, but that is all I can reveal, I hope you understand.” He bowed his head in regret and for a few moments was silent. “I am afraid many of my answers would be as vague as the one I just gave you.” He whispered, breaking the moment’s silence. He finished the loaf of bread by crumbling it into tiny pieces and let them rain down to the ground softly.
Tim pulled a small satchel of shelled nuts from his cloak and opened it, leaving it on the stump by his side so that he could help himself as could the birds. He caught a nut between two long, sharp fingertips and brought it to his mouth, eating it. He swallowed and smiled lightly. “You have beautifully shaped eyes.” He commented casually. “That’s what stands out about your face.” He turned to her, grinning gently. “Do forgive me,” He added. “I do not get the chance to ‘see’ non-humans very often.” He bowed while sitting.
The man fell silent for a few moments, not speaking, merely admiring something or other, possibly the sounds or smells of the forest around him. There was a quietness winding through the trees, punctuated occasionally by a bird’s song or the rustling of leaves. “Tell me, are what they say true? Do no male dryads exist?” He turned back to CeNedra curiously, he had always wondered about that topic, never understanding how it was possible for no male of any species to be born.
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Post by cenedra on Apr 5, 2006 5:43:31 GMT -5
She was not at all taken back by his response to her question and full understood his wanting to keep his precise location of his home a secret. They, it would seem, had that much in common, secrets to be held and she would not push the item any further.
“It is ok that you can not answer me fully, as I would tell you I simply live in the forest, but not as to the location of my actual home.” She replied, a soft smile now gracing her lips a swell her voice.
The tiny birds that had decided to occupy the same space as the two of them became more bold now as CeNedra took up root so near the man and the nuts at his side were a very huge temptation for them and one or two actually hopped up and stole a nut into their beaks and then hopped quickly away. CeNedra grinned at the silly creatures about them and then sighed. “They do seem to think you a nice fellow.” She mused out loud. A though more so than anything else and it was evident in her tone. Their reaction to the man was something she would watch closely, for birds are of the most timid creatures and if they had decided to begin to trust him, she would as well.
“Your forwardness was never something to be forgiven Tim, it shows you try to hide nothing of your thoughts.” She replied, a slight smile still evident in her tone as well her lips. “Thank you again, as well.” She added as an afterthought to his compliment.
There was again a slight pause before she answered his next question. “Yes, you have been properly informed, there are no males, all children born from a Dryad are indeed female, and no such males will ever be.” She replied. “It is the will of the forest that only females be given the right to protect its beauty, as to the reason, I do not question.” She finished.
There was another long pause and then she inhaled deeply and released her breath slowly before speaking again. “Perhaps some day you will have the opportunity to be allowed to view my home.” She then said, a statement not given in light and one that should not be taken as such. To even have the thought of an opportunity to be invited tot eh Dryads home, in lue of imprisoned to gain access, was the first sign she might actually trust him now. It was his soft-spoken ways, his movements, his calm exterior as well as his seeming honesty that was breaking through her wall of mistrust.
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Post by Tim: High Chaos on Apr 5, 2006 21:31:49 GMT -5
Tim nodded, yet failed to speak for a moment. He reached into the bag and extracted a few more nuts, holding him in his palm to eat one at a time. He sighed and placed a nut in his mouth and chewed it reflectively. He swallowed and washed it down with water before replying. “That is very kind of you.” He told her. “Though I do not think I’d be able to return the favor, that would prove near impossible for me to do without serious consequences.” He looked up to the sky and sighed once more.
He then broke into a smile. “And your little friends only think me a nice fellow because I fed them.” He heaved a sigh, turning his head to CeNedra. “Though it does make me feel well that someone thinks I am.” He ate another nut and looked around, noting the breeze. He felt a tiny bird hop up and steal from his pouch and sneak away. “And you can tell them they don’t have to be so stealthy when it comes to the food; I put it out for them to have.” He chuckled slightly.
There was another pause and Tim found that a pine needle had gotten stuck under his gauntlet, irritating his skin. “I have an itch.” He informed the dryad. “I would advise you to turn away if you are squeamish.” He waited a good while, giving her enough time to avert her eyes if she was. He gave the gauntlet a sharp turn, twisting it sharply and to such an extreme it looked as if he had broken this wrist. There was a small clink and his hand fell limp, Tim pulling the gauntlet off, a large pine needle falling from inside it. His arm, however, was the reason for advising her to turn aside her gaze. About half way up his forearm the flesh stopped abruptly, ending in a horrendous wound, appearing as his he had his arms severed and then cauterized. He scratched his arm with his free hand and then replaced the gauntlet, giving it a sharp turn, the fingers snapping back to life immediately.
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Post by cenedra on Apr 5, 2006 21:57:17 GMT -5
CeNedra watched him remove his gauntlet from his arm, and even in the face that under that hand, there was not but grotesque disfigurement, her facial expression didn’t change, she didn’t gasp or even bat an eye. She was not some young child who ran away from wounded disfigurement, she was a battle worn Huntress who had seen far worse that the likes of that, and as well, might have been able to heal what was left of his arm, had there not been something about that disfigurement that told her there was something she should not meddle with.
There was a great pause in spoken words and then, Tim would find himself covered from shoulder to waist in tiny, chirping little beats, all singing his praise and, in the background the bell-like laughter of his Dryad companion. A few birds had sided up to his face and began to prune his hair with their tiny beaks, some singing to him about various things such as their nests and how many eggs they held, CeNedra knew what they were ‘talking’ to him about, it was always the same with these creatures. Then there were the others who were as they sat there, making off with most of his offered treats.
“They are telling you about their nests and there basic lives, I told them to not be afraid, that you were friend.” She told him with a slight chuckle in her mirth filled voice. “And I would not ask to come see your home, I can tell it would not be up to you as one, to allow another to join you in your abode.” She then stated, her voice once again serious. She did understand, and would have never offered him the possibility of seeing her own home, if she wasn’t the one who made the rules there.
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Post by Tim: High Chaos on Apr 5, 2006 23:26:54 GMT -5
Tim did not know if she had watched him remove his gauntlet, though he decided not to ask, that being both rude and an invitation for curiosity. He felt the swarm of birds descend upon him. He became very aware of how the remaining amount of food had been pilfered, this amused him slightly. “I said they didn’t have to be so timid.” He said laughing. “But they just ran me out of what food I had left.” The man shook his head gently, careful not to forcefully dislodge any feathered friends clinging to his matted hair.
He did however take note of her skill at guessing his present situation, indeed it was most definitely not his choice to have her even approach his home, or lack thereof a better word. He put the empty pouch into his back into his cloak, gesturing to the ground. “There, there should still be some crumbs left.” He told the birds, maybe you can find them. He laughed, a long, hearty chortle, slowly dissipating into a sigh.
“You have a wonderful laugh.” He told CeNedra honestly. “Like a crystal bell.” He smiled lightly before continuing. “Sound is almost all I have to go on when dealing with people, I can tell much from a single word they say, even more so from their laugh.” He bowed slightly. “I can tell you are a good person at heart.”
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Post by cenedra on Apr 5, 2006 23:59:22 GMT -5
The Dryad then stood, subconsciously laying a hand on his leg to steady herself as she did so, her touch light and very brief on her way up from the forest floor. As she stood, the birds began to leave Tim to flock about her shoulders, talking in her ears and then, after a brief and near agitated sigh from the Dryad, they flew off to the ground or back to their nests, some of them. “Very cute little animals, but about as intelligent as rocks sometimes.” She told him as she now walked a few steps to her left to a small patch of berries that resided on a bush not far from where he sat. She knelt next to the bush and began to pluck the succulent treats from their branches and only after she’d had a handful did she stand again and then return to once again sit before her company. “Here, try these.” She said, holding her hand out in front of him, the bottom of that hand slightly touching his leg, so he’d not have to search for it and chance knocking the berries from her open hand. “I apologize for their rather greedy state, they have no personal boundaries at times, they just simply don’t know better.” She then stated.
There was silence again as she sat waiting for him to react to her ‘gift’. She wanted to ask about his wounds, but wouldn’t pry, it was no more her place to question him then it would be his to do so to her, even in her curious nature, there was a point that she knew she’d have to pull it in. “Once again, thank you.” She told him in reference to his compliment. “And, as I have taken notice, you seem to be as kind as you seem.” She told him, her amber eyes watching him still, but now there seemed to be more than curiousness there, though he’d never know it, there was a simple contentment in her gaze now, as if she’d broken through the entire mistrust for his presence.
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