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Post by rii on Jul 1, 2010 21:24:31 GMT -5
"It has to be willing. To concentrate on each movement, every pull of the muscle and sensation.. " F'lix enjoyed scaling rocks for just that reason. Make the ascent as slow as possible so it really became a task of endurance, skill, and the Bendenite's favorite – balance. "Saying you cannot only means you're doing it wrong." A brow lifted, F'lix eyes passing over the dull feathers before returning at length to the brownrider. The arrow began to spin, again, skillfully through his long fingers.
"Is that so.." F'lix might have commented idly that dragons were prone to forget, but he knew it was only true to an extent. Saboth still held onto the hatred – a feeling deeply embedded now – of what had happened at Benden turns upon turns ago. To be fair, it left enough emotional and physical scarring on the dark haired rider to remain forever memorable to the bluepair.
The arrow stopped. F'lix loosened his fingers so the shaft slipped down a few inches until he held the slender arrowhead between his fingers. At the same time his arm spanned the short distance between himself and the brownrider. Fingers glided feather-light along Sel'n's jaw, touching the pulse just behind the mandible before curling back. The metal scraping harmlessly across skin of Sel'n's cheek. F'lix leaned forward, head cocked to the side. "I can't imagine what he's so nervous about."
Clucking his tongue, F'lix slid the arrow into the quiver to be out of play. The bow came off, held lightly between fingers as F'lix pivoted to step away from the older man.
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Rei
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Post by Rei on Jul 2, 2010 17:29:05 GMT -5
Sel’n tilted his head up toward F’lix a small smile playing at the corner of his lips. “Doing it wrong hmm? I’ll keep that in mind.” Really concentrating on any one thing had never come easily to the brownrider. Sensations, especially, had often been ignored. To feel was to lose more often then not. Especially in battle. Being stoic and unwavering had always come easier. Especially when you had a wing. Not letting your emotions get into play was essential. Because chances are you would have to expend someone for the greater good. Instead of being single minded the older rider liked to look at things from a boarder perspective. Multitasking. Work on figuring multiple things out at once. Sort of a wide field of vision he had always had. Which is one of the reasons why Kaaoloth and he excelled so much at aerial combat. While the dragon concentrated on the one Sel’n kept all in play.
The brownrider’s eyes lifted to meet F’lix’s golden ones as he spoke in regards to Kaaoloth. “Yes it is so. I don’t think he will ever forget something that touched us both so deeply.” Never mind that Sel’n didn’t remember half of it. Probably more out of a desire not to remember more than actual memory loss. Sel’n’s eyebrow rose in slight surprise as the bluerider shifted the arrow and reached for his face. The part of him that was Kaaoloth, wanted to flinch and recoil from the contact while the part still controlled by him wanted to lean into it. In the end the brownrider stilled, hardly daring to breath as skin and metal brushed along his jaw. Eyes half lidding Sel’n gave a lazy sort of smile, part of him amused. Still playing with him hmm? Would it never cease? Probably not and the brownrider couldn’t say he was sorry about the fact. If F’lix wanted to play Sel’n was okay with being a toy. To a certain extent anyway. Everyone had limits. Even him.
In response to the words the bluerider offered the older man gave a light chuckle. “Kaaoloth doesn’t need a reason to be nervous. He is bonded to me, and habits have rubbed off. His paranoia is as much my own making as his.” Very much his own making in fact. Sad fact of the matter was that both halves of the pair had a slightly masochistic streak. It was more apparent in Kaaoloth because the brown was looser with his desires. In Sel’n it was more subdued and normally only acted upon in the mental sense. Thus the desire to be toyed with. No matter what the outcome. One had to wonder if the man’s habit had rubbed off on the brown or the brown’s habit had rubbed off on the rider. Impossible to tell really. The difficult part of it came when Kaaoloth’s desire to keep his bonded away from pain warred with Sel’n’s habit of being slightly reckless.
As F’lix put the arrow away and pivoted Sel’n took a step forward after him more out of habit than anything else. “Do you have a destination in mind or is this wandering supposed to be mind clearing?” Tilting his head slightly the brownrider viewed F’lix’s back with mild interest. Follow the leader.
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Post by rii on Jul 3, 2010 17:38:59 GMT -5
F'lix had developed many tasks to quiet his mind. It was a constant trouble to him if he left the thoughts get out of hand. His memory was too sharp, and harmless tangents to others spirals F'lix down a chain of vivid events that tore away at his heart. His past was riddle with too much bad and too little of the good. Constantly being around F'ur did well to ease F'lix's state of mind – but before that F'lix did things like draw, fold paper, braid ties. Anything small and in need of dexterity to soothe his nerves. The paper trick is one he had picked up from his mother. The remedies, so similar to nail biting, had slowly become infrequent activities.
The man was still tolerant of those touches that bordered along the line of threat. F'lix mulled over this fact as his eyes half-lidded, lashes coming into play to dull the harsh glare of the sunlight as he peered up into the canopy. Why, was the curiosity that F'lix often found himself wondering over. Friends didn't treat each other like this. F'lix was no one's friend.
Plucking thoughtfully at the bowstring to check it's tightness, F'lix paused to half step around to look evenly at the brownrider. "I do believe you missed my sarcasm," Prattling on some rabbit trail when F'lix had presented the plain and obvious. Sel'n spoke too much of explaining away the worry as if it was unfound. A light shrug replied first to Sel'n's last question.
A sly curve on his lips, F'lix gestured with his head to the path ahead of them still. "Going where the game is," F'ur was not the only one that enjoyed playing with the meaning behind a simple phrase. "Keep your eyes open." A challenge lift of his brows before F'lix again stepped into the lead, casting a questioning look over his shoulder at Sel'n. "It depends, really – is your mind focused on one thing yet?"
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Rei
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Post by Rei on Jul 4, 2010 11:25:41 GMT -5
As the silence stretched on Sel’n found himself examining F’lix thoughtfully. The bluerider was a hard one to read. Perhaps this is what drew the older man more than anything. The brownrider liked to know how things worked, how people thought. The fact that F’lix represented a certain danger appealed to the rider as well however. The constant hint of threat kept him entertained as much as violent looking and sounding greens attracted Kaaoloth. That wasn’t to say those where the only reasons Sel’n liked being around the bluerider. There where numerous other reasons as well. It just was more complicated than any one thing. Blue eyes watched the other man as he shifted to half step around him.
“Hmm suppose I did.” Sel’n returned amicably mind auto backtracking to what F’lix had said or commented on. Was he saying Kaaoloth /did/ have something to be nervous about? His eyes tracked F’lix as he plucked at the bowstring. Curious really. So was the younger rider being vaguely threatening on purpose? If he was then Kaaoloth’s nervousness would be founded. Still the older man was a bit confused. The benden rider was going from being concerned to threatening. Could he not make up his mind? Was this all some carefully concocted game with the result being his death?
Sel’n really didn’t truly believe that. More because he didn’t want to than anything else. The brownrider didn’t make friends easily. He kept friends even less often. Something always seemed to happen that unintentionally drove a wedge between him and another. Roivao’s loss of Ioth for example. F’lix was considered a friend and would be until something happened that without a doubt proved Sel’n wrong.
To that end the brownrider set his feet after his younger companion. “I see.” Those words where all Sel’n offered along with a slight eyebrow raise of his own. He rather doubted the other man was speaking of game in the sense of prey, then again one never really knew with F’lix. As his footfalls crushed the undergrowth beneath them Sel’n allowed himself to enjoy the scents they set up. “Sorry to possibly disappoint but my mind is much preferring to analyze things currently.”
A slight smile flitted across his expression. “We’ll see what happens.” This was much more amusing than playing with Kaaoloth. Speaking of, the brown had gone uncharacteristically quiet. However the only answer he got to his mental prod was a soft mental grunt. Apparently the brown was tired of bashing his head against a stone wall. Attention turned back to F’lix after his brief inward travel before Sel’n’s eyes drifted to the canopy above and then back to the surrounding jungle. Is loooooooong walk. Cripplemine say short walk this morn. Liar. Vanity suddenly commented widely from her perch on her bonded’s shoulder. Her tone caused a soft chuckle to sound from the brownrider. “Indeed.”
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Post by rii on Jul 4, 2010 17:37:17 GMT -5
F'lix continued one, expression blank as he carefully picked his way over roots and around thick congestion of plant life. He paused only once, head barely turning to glance out of peripherals, then he was back into motion. A feathered shaft slid out of the quiver and was notched silently to bowstring. "Analyzing things," hummed the younger man. "Trying to make heads or tails out of my words, Sel'n? That is keeping your mind on one thing.."
He smirked, "Suppose analyzing words is better than just focusing on watching my ass."
Again he turned, this time still moving backwards as he faced the brownrider. F'lix effected a serious look, lifting fingers to point two fingers at his eyes, then a single finger at Sel'n. Watching you. Playfully scolding the older man as if he had caught him looking. F'lix did have a pair of eyes on the back of his head – small ones that were currently bleeding into a dark shadow of crimson.
Lilitu launched offer F'lix's head, annoyed, and landed against the rough bark of a passing tree. She climbed out onto a branch, frilling the venom green in Vanity's direction. Shut mouth, whiner. She crooned sickeningly sweet with a trailing hiss. F'lix stopped a few steps later, lifting the bow half-way as if preparing to draw and fire. "One question Sel'n. How much do you trust me?"
The creaking of the bow's wood spoke well enough of his intentions..
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Rei
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Post by Rei on Jul 4, 2010 19:50:17 GMT -5
Sel’n would be lying if he said he was not currently at ease with the whole situation. Walking had always been a preferred pastime of his and with company it was always better. Especially when F’lix happened to be that company. To that end he smiled at the bluerider’s words. “Hmm analyzing a bit of everything really not just words.” He retorted eyes flicking to the younger man’s back as he spoke. The next words offered however caused him to chuckle. Watching his ass?
A bit of a grin overtook his features and he refused to drop it when his companion turned about to face him. “Yes just doing a bit of ogling back here don’t mind me.” The silent watching you signal only made the brown rider’s smile widen. No doubt he was. Made him wonder just how much F’lix did pay attention. Certainly more than himself most times. That much was really very apparent sometimes.
As Lilitu launched herself from F’lix, Vanity stiffened on his shoulder her own frill flaring in response. His little harpy’s gaze shot from crimson to darkly amused at the green she still considered a /baby/. Surely still much younger than herself. Her stupidity showed. Will shut when Lili speaks things worth listening to. She shot back in her own sugary tone, frill trembling once before claws briefly dug into the fabric of Sel’n’s shirt. No use nor love did Vanity have for females in general and the darker colored female was no exception. Really Vanity considered herself in a position far above the other females. Let Lilitu make her barbs, Vanity was positive she could be just as nasty and if push came to shove the mandyr was not above putting teeth and claw into play either.
Sel’n watched the two mandyrs with something akin to amusement and slight worry before F’lix’s words caused him to look up at the bluerider. The older rider froze for perhaps a half second span before giving a light smile that didn’t quite touch his eyes. He gazed at the bow with something like surprise before he spread both arms giving the other rider a perfect target should he so chose to end his life here and now. His blue eyes raised to seek F’lix’s golden ones. “I trust you like I’d trust any other comrade on my wing. Like I’d trust any of my friends. That answer your question?” In the back of his mind he felt Kaaoloth’s grim acceptance of the words. I told you this at Fort and I tell you this now. My dear Selarin. You need to chose better friends.
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Post by rii on Jul 5, 2010 11:08:33 GMT -5
'Cause Vanity speak much wise. The green mocked the old salamandyr. Tell Simper find mate – He kill self, or you forget Dungqueen? Silence self. Worthless words yours are.
F'lix sighted along the arrow. Expression blank as he watched, and listened, to Sel'n's reaction. This was where part of that devoted concentration came into play. He wouldn't be able to hold the position – arrow drawn back at full – for long. An obligatory trust; the kind of trust that had to be given to wingmates Trust them not to flame you in the heat of battle. Hn. F'lix eyes narrowed on his target.
"Then don't," Side-stepping, F'lix slowly angled around the brownrider, "move."
It happened in the blink of an eye. The angle of the curved wood shifting a fraction before F'lix released the arrow to fly – past Sel'n into brush just aside the path behind the man. A loud shrieking cry filled the canopy. Nearby darters flushed into the sky upon being startled by the angry noise. F'lix didn't linger, moving to leap back up on the upraised root. With another foot planted against the trunk F'lix moved up higher, grabbing a branch to angle himself to see back down the path from a better height.
Where? Lilitu shared the image of the injured creature running off into the trees. She had been loathed to leave F'lix to play the role of scout. Jabbing at Vanity merely became a perk. F'lix pushed off the tree, landing lightly and slipping forward past Sel'n. He pushed the brush aside, searching for drops of blood to tell the story of where the arrow hit. "Thought I said to keep your eyes open."
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Rei
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Post by Rei on Jul 5, 2010 12:10:52 GMT -5
Vanity’s claws dug into her bonded’s shoulder as she spat at Lilitu. Leaping from the older man, who was quite involved with staring at the arrow anyway, she landed on a nearby tree trunk. Frilling she examined the darker female with distaste. Big words speak. All good for words. Simper death not fault mine. Fault others stupid. The female shot back before titling her head at the other mandyr crimson eyes fixed on her. The desire to bite Lilitu for her audacity was high but her bonded had a good hold and somewhere beneath the rage Vanity realized lashing out would give the other female some perverse sort of satisfaction probably. Not worth her time.
Sel’n however had little time or attention for Vanity at the moment. Dimly in the back of his mind he felt Kaaoloth’s unease and acceptance of his own helplessness. The older rider kept his eyes locked on F’lix and merely waited. Not much else he could do. Certainly wasn’t going to turn and run. Idly in his mind he went over his own answer and wondered. What reaction would it get? When the bluerider did finally speak Sel’n raised one eyebrow and obeyed, not even offering a nod in response. As the air displaced from the arrow rushed past him his blue eyes watched F’lix as he moved, blinking even as the shrieking cry sounded though the quiet along with the squawks and wing beats of startled darters.
Vanity in turn leapt off her perch back to Sel’n and frilled before biting his neck in a trademark possessive gesture. Licking the small dots of blood up afterwards she nuzzled his neck. Cripplemine dummy. Glad okay. She remarked privately even as Kaaoloth brushed against his mind with concern. Reassuring his mindmates mentally the brownrider half turned as F’lix strode past him.
Turning fully to face the direction of his companion Sel’n gave a soft snort. “Suppose there are drawbacks to concentrating on any one thing singly. I was being unobservant. My apologies.” What was it? The rider was wondering that as well but he let Kaaoloth voice it mildly surprised that he had included F’lix as well in the question. Feline? Canine? To light to be a wild wher probably. Either way fact of the matter was he had quite possibly been saved from another disaster. Again...
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Post by rii on Jul 7, 2010 16:45:53 GMT -5
Oh look, she got Vanity to leave her human. Lilitu, curled into a dark ball with tail tight around her feet, observed the other female with amusement. Her eyes were still red – little demon that she was – and she intently watched Vanity. Daring her to come closer. Stupid is Dungqueen. Only fit for title. Rule dung. Her mindvoice came sickeningly sweet. A trait she shared with her mindmate. Blame all but self. Cock sucker. King also stupid?
Thank you K'lir.
Sel'n's clear lack of reaction made F'lix wonder if he was losing his touch. Most people didn't take well to being shot at unprovoked. Well, F'lix reasoned as he reached down to touch against the disturbed earth, maybe Sel'n fully accepted the implied notion that F'lix was going to shoot him. End his life right then and there. The thought made F'lix's eyes narrow in distaste. At the same moment his fingers found a spot of blood, rolling it between thumb and forefinger before wiping it off his pants. Not a lung, or heart shot.
Damn.
Still, the animal had ran off with one of his arrows still impaled. "Is there no fight left in you?" F'lix soft words were directed to the man behind him. He didn't gift Sel'n with a look, just the words before raising to his feet. Bitch have more bite. Lilitu moved down the length of the branch, dropping down in a control dive to land on F'lix's shoulder. "You were ready to die just now..?"
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Rei
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Post by Rei on Jul 7, 2010 21:24:28 GMT -5
Vanity coiled around on her bonded’s shoulder to face Lilitu. Dark cold anger and slight amusement flicked though her gaze. The lighter colored green crooned towards the darker female the sound almost sickening in it’s sweetness. Resort to insults does. Not smart as she thinks. Careful love Lili. Intelligence shows too much. It was very clearly an insult. What did Vanity care what one sad little jealous and jaded female thought? One that had to resort to curses to make herself feel more important. The green knew who she was. Knew her importance and that was good enough for her. If the other mandyr didn’t see it that was her loss. Poor sad creature she was barely worthy of the pity Vanity felt towards her. Lesser being that she was.
Sel’n watched F’lix with clear interest as he examined the site of the shot. Dimly in the back of his mind he felt Kaaoloth stir the brown moving to better clear himself for takeoff should the need arise. The dragon did not like that his was in the forest with an injured predator nearby. It did not bode well in normal circumstances and although Saboth’s had saved his there was still a feeling of nervous apprehension towards the bluerider. Most of it based solely on the fact that Benden had always been the enemy and Kaaoloth wasn’t sure if a change of weyrs really ever changed those feelings. So ingrained where they.
The older brownrider in turn titled his head to F’lix’s words for the moment at a loss. “No fight?” The confusion in the tone was clear. Of course there was fight. Why would there not be? Sel’n had no desire to die anytime soon. If only solely because he wasn’t the type to just give up like that. There wasn’t much to live for in his life besides his mindmates, no lover, no real close friends alright maybe besides Kalierre. There was Vanity, their was Kaaoloth, and there was the weyr. That was what Sel’n lived for currently. If there was no fight left in him there where plenty of opportunities to kill himself or just give up before now. Like with the abduction for instance. He had fought to live. Otherwise he wouldn’t be here. Nor would be have the scars to show for it. Also the fellis addiction. If he really didn’t desire to live it would be so easy to slip back into the habit and let it finish consuming him. Yet he chose to fight it.
Snorting he raised his head. “Of course I’m not ready to die. Stupid question.” Blue eyes blinked at F’lix’s back. “I didn’t believe you where really going to shoot me. I wasn’t sure what you where up to, but if I really thought you where going to put an arrow in my chest I would have tried something to prevent it. You asked if I trusted you F’lix. That was my answer.” In all honesty Sel’n wasn’t sure what the younger rider wanted. Reaching upwards he gently flattened Vanity to his shoulder and earned a hiss in response. She was being distracting, as was Kaaoloth.
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Post by rii on Jul 9, 2010 16:26:24 GMT -5
Only now realize insults? Is slow too, Dung'green. Lilitu yawned, curling lazily inside the collar of F'lix's shirt. She could go about this all day given that Vanity kept reacting to the barbs. Silly things. Lilitu supposed, if she grew bored at insulting the green, she could resort to removing Vanity's tail or frill just to see the older salamandyr's pride wilt.
"No fight," F'lix flatly repeated, not bothering to go into detail of his final assessment of the brownrider. It frustrated him – the emptiness he found in other people. Sel'n could say what he wanted, but words never meant much to F'lix. It all hinged on what he saw. The temptation to pull a knife and force Sel'n to defend himself rose. Threaten the man's life – again – and see if any passion to live came out with the spilling of blood.
F'lix let his eyes droop to a near close, still keeping his back facing Sel'n. His chin lowered toward his chest – the faint sneer and growl going unnoticed. "You're a fool." The bluerider stood, slipping forward in the direction the animal went. A young canine, he estimated, probably a loner shunned from the pack.
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