Jaz's question seemed to elicit a flurry of response in her companion, their tattoos glowing blue before shifting red and settling into a gorgeous, swirling orange. The urge to touch her guest flared again. They almost looked... shy, and Jaz thought she caught a blush on their face.
“That’s a very good question…” Elk said. “I don’t know how long it’s been since somebody asked.” The tattoos began fading back to a pale blue, but their face aged slightly for a brief moment before they settled again.
Elk sighed. “It’s kind of you to ask, I have not enjoyed that particular luxury. At least, not within memory.” They gestured toward their head, and Jaz laughed good-naturedly.
Carefully, Jaz said, "Theoretically speaking, would you enjoy touch on your markings? Would that be welcome?"
--
((OOC: Sage is going to wait to post. We are figuring that her conversation with Toffee/Tigre took longer than the conversation so far with Elk/Jaz.))
--
After watching Sage come back to standing and head out toward her guests, Tigre took a deep breath. He hadn't known that Toffee had had experience with the fae or these new oaths before. But he could understand Sage's discomfort. Forcing someone into service was among the greatest crimes in the tell, requiring profound apology. And he had even greater sympathy for Sage's inability to control her translocation. Though Tigre had been working toward such a feat for a while now, he had not done it, though he had read many texts about elders who mastered the technique.
He was curious about how Jaz would respond to Sage's invitation into their order and the conversation that would follow. He had spoken to Sage on several occasions about the matter, thinking Jaz would be a good fit, and Tigre had agreed with her.
Tigre adjusted his own deep blue linen robe, looked at Toffee, and said playfully, "The excitement never ceases."
Part 1
Re: Part 1
Elk gave her a look. Something between confusion and disbelief. “I am particular about who touches me,” Elk said unevenly.
Rebuffed, Jaz thought, no problem. But then...
“With you, it only seems fair to allow it. After all, I did take you with me on a kind of magick teleportation ride earlier…"
Jaz felt a strange tingle in her back, making her pull her shoulders back a little to adjust.
"Yes, I believe it would be welcome.”
Jaz tilted her head, curious. Could she trust his yes, then? Or would he just be doing her a favor?
Or were they... just trying to flirt, maybe?
"You don't owe me anything," Jaz said seriously, her eyes widening, jaw forward. She then grinned and winked at them, turning afterward to look over her shoulder at where Sage had gone off to.
--
Looking up imploringly at Toffee, Sage felt defeated, shoulders low.
“Sweet girl, it’s okay to make mistakes. It’s not every day that one meets a child of the elder blood. That’s not a common honor, and these creatures, they work differently than you and I.” Toffee sighed and smiled. “It’s been many winters since I last met one--they are strange beasts, but gentle in their way. If you called so sincerely to them that they appeared before you, that’s an act of love and devotion mirroring your own commitment to our creeds.”
Sage blew out a breath, grateful and stunned by the compliment. And thoroughly curious about how Toffee knew about such a thing. Sage's eyes widened, and she allowed her to take in some of the perspective Toffee had offered her of herself. Act of love and devotion, Sage thought happily.
Gesturing to the door, Toffee gently said, “yes, please do as Tigre suggests and get yourself something to eat, sweet child. I’d like to speak with Tigre first, and then we will join you. Be along shortly.” Sage nodded, turning to walk back out toward Jaz and Elk, new perspective and curiosity in tow.
--
"The excitement never ceases."
“No, it surely does not,” Toffee said. “I had wondered when this day would come again. I was barely a cub then--that was many, many moons ago." Tigre's eyes widened. He knew that Toffee's history went back much further than his. He respected Toffee greatly, and he found her to be a person of exceedingly authentic generosity. He hoped she found him helpful, diligent, and knowledgeable in return.
"Have I ever I told you that story, Tigre? I would suppose not--it’s not a story that many of us like to retell…” She trails off, uncertain of where to begin. Now she really had his attention. It was an honor to witness a new story.
He shook his head, no, but also tracked Sage's progress out to the terrace. She had rejoined her guests. Tigre worried Toffee wouldn't have time to do the story justice.
But Toffee had already gotten that faraway look in her eye.
((OOC: Cue flashback??? We could start a new thread for it? New characters, too? Lol, just an option.))
Rebuffed, Jaz thought, no problem. But then...
“With you, it only seems fair to allow it. After all, I did take you with me on a kind of magick teleportation ride earlier…"
Jaz felt a strange tingle in her back, making her pull her shoulders back a little to adjust.
"Yes, I believe it would be welcome.”
Jaz tilted her head, curious. Could she trust his yes, then? Or would he just be doing her a favor?
Or were they... just trying to flirt, maybe?
"You don't owe me anything," Jaz said seriously, her eyes widening, jaw forward. She then grinned and winked at them, turning afterward to look over her shoulder at where Sage had gone off to.
--
Looking up imploringly at Toffee, Sage felt defeated, shoulders low.
“Sweet girl, it’s okay to make mistakes. It’s not every day that one meets a child of the elder blood. That’s not a common honor, and these creatures, they work differently than you and I.” Toffee sighed and smiled. “It’s been many winters since I last met one--they are strange beasts, but gentle in their way. If you called so sincerely to them that they appeared before you, that’s an act of love and devotion mirroring your own commitment to our creeds.”
Sage blew out a breath, grateful and stunned by the compliment. And thoroughly curious about how Toffee knew about such a thing. Sage's eyes widened, and she allowed her to take in some of the perspective Toffee had offered her of herself. Act of love and devotion, Sage thought happily.
Gesturing to the door, Toffee gently said, “yes, please do as Tigre suggests and get yourself something to eat, sweet child. I’d like to speak with Tigre first, and then we will join you. Be along shortly.” Sage nodded, turning to walk back out toward Jaz and Elk, new perspective and curiosity in tow.
--
"The excitement never ceases."
“No, it surely does not,” Toffee said. “I had wondered when this day would come again. I was barely a cub then--that was many, many moons ago." Tigre's eyes widened. He knew that Toffee's history went back much further than his. He respected Toffee greatly, and he found her to be a person of exceedingly authentic generosity. He hoped she found him helpful, diligent, and knowledgeable in return.
"Have I ever I told you that story, Tigre? I would suppose not--it’s not a story that many of us like to retell…” She trails off, uncertain of where to begin. Now she really had his attention. It was an honor to witness a new story.
He shook his head, no, but also tracked Sage's progress out to the terrace. She had rejoined her guests. Tigre worried Toffee wouldn't have time to do the story justice.
But Toffee had already gotten that faraway look in her eye.
((OOC: Cue flashback??? We could start a new thread for it? New characters, too? Lol, just an option.))
Re: Part 1
Sage walked back out onto the terrace, pausing for only a brief moment to take a deep breath and collect herself. Could she think about this oath as a gift? If it were a gift and not a requirement for them to fulfill, then... maybe it was a beautiful thing, even if it was coming during a time of great need. How soon did they have, Sage wondered?
She slipped out the alcoves and toward her guests, settling down near them again. When Jaz and Elk were silent, she said, "Food is coming. Tigre and Toffee will be out shortly." She didn't yet mention that she wanted to speak with Jaz. She wanted to make sure that Elk had other company first.
--
“This is likely a story I should tell in front of our guests," Toffee said. "Before I do, whether or not you wish to join us, I feel you should know that the last time I saw a creature of this kind, they were sent to us a time of great need. Many were dying, the land was corrupted, and the very essence of the ether we weave was coming apart. If we are in another such scenario, we desperately need their help & I only hope that we can act in time.” Tigre had rarely seen her so serious.
“Shall we join them?” she asked, gesturing towards where Sage had gone.
After such a revelation, Tigre was uncertain that he wanted to be in polite company. He reeled from all the possible implications, matching up too closely with the ways he felt when he had had the dream of fire and explosions. He blinked, though, trying to stay present to this moment and not get sucked back into the dream.
"I want to make sure that Sage gets time with Jaz, as she requested, and also rest," Tigre said, always a little fatherly of the young people of the vows. "But I suspect anyone would be happy to listen." He nodded, willing to follow Toffee where she chose.
She slipped out the alcoves and toward her guests, settling down near them again. When Jaz and Elk were silent, she said, "Food is coming. Tigre and Toffee will be out shortly." She didn't yet mention that she wanted to speak with Jaz. She wanted to make sure that Elk had other company first.
--
“This is likely a story I should tell in front of our guests," Toffee said. "Before I do, whether or not you wish to join us, I feel you should know that the last time I saw a creature of this kind, they were sent to us a time of great need. Many were dying, the land was corrupted, and the very essence of the ether we weave was coming apart. If we are in another such scenario, we desperately need their help & I only hope that we can act in time.” Tigre had rarely seen her so serious.
“Shall we join them?” she asked, gesturing towards where Sage had gone.
After such a revelation, Tigre was uncertain that he wanted to be in polite company. He reeled from all the possible implications, matching up too closely with the ways he felt when he had had the dream of fire and explosions. He blinked, though, trying to stay present to this moment and not get sucked back into the dream.
"I want to make sure that Sage gets time with Jaz, as she requested, and also rest," Tigre said, always a little fatherly of the young people of the vows. "But I suspect anyone would be happy to listen." He nodded, willing to follow Toffee where she chose.
Re: Part 1
After a small amount of somewhat awkward silence, Toffee indeed came out onto the terrace, their robes blowing in the breeze. Tigre soon followed, possibly after having instructed some of the others to procure something of a meal.
Sage got up quickly, grabbing another cloth and spreading it out to make room for them. She wanted everyone to be comfortable. Once they were all settled, Sage said, "I've filled Toffee and Tigre in on what occurred out in the fields. They are elders in their vows. I thought I would make some space for them to speak with you," Sage said this primarily at Elk, though she looked at Jaz afterward, hoping for an opportunity to take Jaz aside.
She was tempted to provide additional context and perhaps start talking about the collective dream they planned for tomorrow, but she decided to see where Toffee and Tigre would take matters first.
Sage got up quickly, grabbing another cloth and spreading it out to make room for them. She wanted everyone to be comfortable. Once they were all settled, Sage said, "I've filled Toffee and Tigre in on what occurred out in the fields. They are elders in their vows. I thought I would make some space for them to speak with you," Sage said this primarily at Elk, though she looked at Jaz afterward, hoping for an opportunity to take Jaz aside.
She was tempted to provide additional context and perhaps start talking about the collective dream they planned for tomorrow, but she decided to see where Toffee and Tigre would take matters first.
Re: Part 1
Toffee greeted them all, offering a gesture of respect to Elk, but then surprised Jaz by addressing her directly.
“Can you please tell me more about what you experienced when you met this creature outside of the tell? I’d love to hear your perspective.”
Jaz balked and shifted backward slightly. Why did they want her perspective?
"They came out of the woods. I waved and invited them to the tell. And then..." Jaz hesitated, looking at Sage with some concern, "poof! I was elsewhere. On the next hill over with Sage." She closed her eyes, trying to find if there was anything else to remember.
Eyes still scrunched closed, she said, "During the... translocation... I thought I saw some kind of... opalescent shimmer in my mind." Jaz opened her eyes. "Or maybe I was just dizzy." She shrugged, hoping she could stop being the center of attention now.
“Can you please tell me more about what you experienced when you met this creature outside of the tell? I’d love to hear your perspective.”
Jaz balked and shifted backward slightly. Why did they want her perspective?
"They came out of the woods. I waved and invited them to the tell. And then..." Jaz hesitated, looking at Sage with some concern, "poof! I was elsewhere. On the next hill over with Sage." She closed her eyes, trying to find if there was anything else to remember.
Eyes still scrunched closed, she said, "During the... translocation... I thought I saw some kind of... opalescent shimmer in my mind." Jaz opened her eyes. "Or maybe I was just dizzy." She shrugged, hoping she could stop being the center of attention now.