[PRP/Log] A Friend in the Dark (Eldire & Kotonaru)

[~Latonia de la Courtel~]

((This was a messenger RP between myself (for my Eldire) and DarkenWoodWolf (for her Kotonaru) that sort of went insane. Eldire has wandered away from his family in the throws of his gathering, and wandered himself into Kotonaru's den. There is also minor mention of my Natesa, Koto's sister.))

~Latonia de la Courtel~'s Eldire & DarkenWoodWolf's Kotonaru:



My Natesa: (Early Mention)


((Eldire: WordCount: Over 1500
Koto: WordCount: ))

 

[~Latonia de la Courtel~]

'Dire: *cracks a smirk*

Koto: *rolls her eyes*

'Dire: *pounces on a nearby shrub and begins quietly exclaiming about the properties of the leaves*

Natesa: *intrigued in spite of herself*

Natesa: Eldire's mother is an herbalist healer and his father makes dyes... He's very knowledgeable regarding materials that can be used for either purpose. *sits back as Dire streaks past*

Dire: *in rapture about the appearance of a certain flower* DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?

Tesa: .... nope, not a clue.

Koto: I.... don't really care? *folds her wings back and looks at the flower*

Dire: *sniffs disapprovingly* No appreciation for craft.

Tesa: *giggles*

 

[~Latonia de la Courtel~]

Koto: *bares her little fangs* I'll have more appreciation for your craft if you come over here. *hanging out in a cave because lightblind*

Dire: But but but the flower! *whines and then slinks closer, glancing back over his shoulder at it now and again*

Koto: What's so important about the flower? *crouches a little bit, prepared to pounce on him the moment he got close enough*

Dire: *stops still in the light, gazing at the flower again* If you steep it in willowbark tea it helps with healing.. But the roots work as a fantastic dye strengthener! I can help both my parents if I bring it back!

Koto: ...... Remarkable. *rolls her eyes again, because she can't even see the flower, but she wanted the other cub to come closer so she could pounce on him*

Dire: *pouts at her* It's important, for the Tribe! I can help save lives and make beautiful things. It's the best of both worlds! *steps closer* Why are you in the dark anyway?

 

[~Latonia de la Courtel~]

Koto: It's important for your clan, sure, but it's not going to help my clan, now is it? *rolls her eyes at him again, because everyone knew that those from the Dark Tribe were lightblind* Why don't you come in the dark with me and find out? I saw some mushrooms back a ways that might be important.

Dire: It might, does your clan trade? *blinks at her curiously, skirting forward* Mushrooms? Not usually good for dye, but perhaps healing... Then again, if they phosphores... *slinks after the voice, intrigued*

Koto: *leans him a bit further into the cave with promises of mushrooms that weren't actually there. Well, they might have been, but she didn't know where they were. After he was fully in the dark, she pounced on him, sinking her little teeth into the light ridge on his back with a growl*

Dire: *follows because the idea of mushrooms was intriguing, but yowls when she tackles him. His father was a dye maker, but he still had learned some hunt skills... So he trashed and twisted, ducking his head, to avoid her fangs... but she was larger, probably older, which meant she got a hold of him even as he turned and sank fangs into her paw*

Koto: *growls low when he bit her. SHe was just playing! Well, sorta. She ripped her paw away from him, favoring it as it dripped blood on the ground. She flared her wings and jumped, not as high as normal, but high enough to come down hard on the boy's back again, going for his throat, this time*

Dire: *He didn't know if she was playing (it certainly didn't feel like it) but she hadn't invited him to a game and she had lied. She was a -liar- and that was -wrong-. So he struck out in a fury with claw and fang, a sound building low in his chest that would one day be a warriors warning. He ducked his head again, eyes closing as he prayed she would rake fur or crest but not his sensitive eyes or muzzle, plowing under her as he blindly sought to spill himself back into the light*

Koto: *gets a lot of fur in her mouth, but no flesh, yowling as he struck out at her, and striking back just as hard. She folded her wings down hard, trying to keep the sensitive membranes out of the fight as she rolled over him, trying to swipe his feet out from under him*

Dire: *growls and risks opening his eyes as he tumbles from her strike, scrabbling his way to his paws and backing toward the light even as he spun to face her* What is -WRONG- with you!?

Koto: *growls as he gets away into the light, wishing it were nighttime so she could follow him out and give him a good pounding* What's wrong with me, what's wrong with you?! I just wanted to play, plantfreak

Dire: Are you -mad-!? *straightens up, still backing toward the light* Was it too troublesome to -say so- you crazy thing? You just jumped on me like you were out for blood! I thought we were going in search of mushrooms! I'm on a quest to find things helpful to my parents and you just jumped on me like you were going to break my neck and eat me for supper! DECENT PEOPLE DON'T ACT LIKE THAT!!

Koto: I am not mad! *follows him and stops, looking wounded* And if I told you, you'd already be ready for it! That ruins the surprise! *sniffs* I am decent! I just wanted to play, maybe be friends. *flares her wings and turns around* But I don't like you anymore!

Dire: You're not fair, that's for sure! *still pouting at her* You didn't introduce yourself or anything! It seems like "Surprise, MURDER!" instead of "Surprise Let's Play!". *frowns at her* I'm not sure you're not a murderer, I don't know if I can be friends with a murderer. *sits, still in the shadow but closer to the light so he feel safe.* I don't know if I like you ever. But that's because you chewed on my neck without so much as a "I promise I won't eat your liver for fun".... Why don't you introduce yourself and we start this like civilized beings, before either of us decide anything??

Koto: Hunting isn't fair! And play hunting is all about winning! Don't you know anything? *whines at him* That's how we all play. I don't know how you play. Obviously it's not as much fun. *snorts* Of course I'm not a murderer! I'm too little! And if I wanted to kill you, I could still attack you. But I don't. I don't wanna play with you anymore either. You don't play nice. *licks her wounded paw* Why should I tell you my name now? You're mean.

 

[~Latonia de la Courtel~]

Dire: I am hunting for mushrooms! For flowers and herbs and dark red clay... For things that color material, or hide, or herbs that heal! I don't hunt things that jump on my back and try to make me supper! *gives her an insulted look* You didn't even say 'you want to play?' or anything! I've never met you! That is not how we play... *folds his ears, because he didn't play often anyway... He looked for things to help his parents, because someone had to and his brothers were hopeless...* I'm not sure you don't attack me because you don't want me dead, or because you don't like light. *he argued in subdued stubbornness, some of the indignation and fury fading* ... I'm sorry I hurt your foot... *he muttered softly* .. If you try not to kill me, I'll get you something to make it feel better.

Koto: There are mushrooms, back close to my den. *mutters a little bit* They have spots that glow green. My mom says not to play with them because they are pos... poisi... they'll kill you faster than I would ever! *can't remember the word* Well, you'll never know what you'll find when you hunt! You have to be prepared for anything!.... Even an opponent who'll fight back. *sighs and hangs her head* I have to get better... *mutters* How do you play then? *huffs* I don't want to attack you and I don't like the light. I didn't want to attack you in the first place, I just... wanted to play. With someone who wasn't my brother or sisters. *looks down at that* Someone else who was different. *blinks at the apology* I wasn't going to kill you! And I promise I won't try. *looks hopeful because the nite really hurt*

Dire: *considers the possibility of gathering and drying the mushrooms for... well... nevermind* Oh, that's probably not good to mess with then.. *he murmured with a sigh. Too bad, too, since the glowing.... Maybe it could be made into a paste to make signs or drawings in caves? Art or directions that glowed? That was, interesting.* No, I guess not... Hence my thinking you were going to kill me and eat me. *he offered blandly, since she helped him make his point even as she made her own* Usually we invite someone to play. *he pointed out lightly* But my brothers are hopeless, so I try to learn to be a warrior and helpful to both my parents trades. It's important, since we are in the capital and one of the leading families. *shakes his head* Not that it matters. I'm sorry, again, for ruining your chance to play with someone you aren't related to... I don't like spending all my time with my brothers either. *grins* Ok, hold on then Female-Not-A-Killer-Of-Me... *skirts back out to the shrub, plucks a flower and sets it aside as he skitters to a nearby tree and snags a branch. He gathered the flower and moved back to the cave, depositing them before fetching a leaf and dipping it in the water of the stream and appearing again* Should do the trick... *mutters to himself as he gathers the materials in the shadow of the cave*

Koto: I can probably get a few of them without hurting myself. If I tell my Mom what they are for, I'm sure she''ll help! Probably. *fidgets as she talks about her family* But you should probably ask your Mom, or Dad, too. I don't wanna kill you by accident because we didn't know what we were doing. *huffs at him* Me and my siblings always play like that.... I'm sorry if I scared you. *inches forward a little* My siblings are just... more like my mom and dad than I am. And I promise I'll tell you before I pounce you next time, okay? *sighs* It's okay. I should have figured I would scare you... *flexes her wings a little and settles in to watch him run around and gather things* What are you going to do with all that?

Dire: Ask your mom first, if I do happen to make a friend today... I certainly wouldn't want to kill her by sending her after dangerous mushrooms... Even if they do glow and sound -perfect- for the project I have in mind... *he couldn't help but sound a little wistful toward the end, but he stowed the emotion away. His plans were probably foolish, but it would be nice to have a craft that was his, to show his parents, rather than just being a junior practitioner of theirs.* I will, just in case... Probably mom, she'll know best what to do with dangerous things. *smiles faintly* It's ok, I just didn't know, and you didn't know... And hopefully we'll both be the wiser for it, by the time the sunsets. *gives her a sympathetic look* I understand a bit of that. I'm the only one that looks like my dad... but then, I'm still different. *trots back in and sets things down, giving her a mischievous look* Magic. *he offered enigmatically, setting to plucking petals and grinding them with the stick against a clean bit of rock. That done, he swept the dust onto the leaf where it formed a sort of paste with the stream water, cupped safely on the leaf* Your paw, if you please?

 

[~Latonia de la Courtel~]

Koto: Yeah, I will! If we are friends, I'm sure she'll be happy to help. With whatever it is you 're project is. As long as you aren't going to use it to kill anyone. *peers at him* That sorta goes against what you do, doesn't it? You wanna help people, not hurt them. *nods at her own assessment of him* I think we are already the wiser for it. *looks down at her paw, wincing a little and feeling a new sympathy for the lizards she hunted on a regular basis* I don't look like anyone else in my family. My dad has a little of my color, but I am the only one who's so... bright. *smiles suddenly at him* I'm different too. *watches him work, head tilted in confusion because she had no idea what he was doing at all. But she held out her paw anyway* Ooookay?

Dire: Well, the project isn't to kill others, if that's what you're asking... *he murmured, teeth still clamped around the stick as he tried to grind some more of it* But if they lick the project when it's done, and then they happen to get sick or die? *thinks about it for a moment* Maybe we'll tell them not to lick it... I wouldn't think they'd randomly lick it, but still... *shakes his head* No, I don't want to kill anyone. And yes, that's against what my mom does, and sort of what I do. *hums and nods, understanding where she would feel isolated if no one looked like her* You don't look like anyone I've ever met. *he admitted with a faint smile.* But I like it, so I think it's a good thing. If that helps? *he shrugged and went back to working on the paste, offering her a grin as he straightened* Ok! *he gently caught her paw with one of his own, and lifting the leaf by the stem he laid it over the impression of his teeth* The paste will be a bit cool, and may tingle. *he warned as he made sure the leaf was wrapped around her injured foot* Don't try to walk on it just yet. Anyway, willowbark helps with pain and the flower speeds healing... You should feel right as rain in no time.

Koto: Then I will ask my mom about it, and maybe bring some out to you to see if you can use it after the sun sets. I'm not really supposed to be out when it's light out, especially not this far from my home but... I just couldn't help wandering today. *listens to him ramble* Well, if anyone is going around licking walls, they deserve to die, honestly. *giggles at the thought* Maybe there is something that you can mix it with that would make it not deadly? I bet your mom would know. *nods* Sorta what you do? Its seems like it is what you do. At least to me. *smiles a bit* You kinda look like my Mom, she doesn't have wings either. *flaps them and giggles* But she is all white, like my sisters. Well, mostly like them. *grins back at him, blushing a little, making her look orange* Yeah, it helps. *watches him work, listening to what he was saying closely, giggling as it tingled, and it felt like she was sticking it in a cool pool of water* Thank you. *holds her paw up so she doesn't put any weight on it*

Dire: Sounds fair. *hums as he listens to her and works on his craft, because he was fairly good but he didn't want to make a mistake* Well, wandering is sometimes less an aimless thing and more a general encouragement by fate to find something she is nudging your way. *chuffs in amusement* It would be to help guide someone through caves, or that's my plan... So if they find a sign that says "this way" and the first thing they do is lick it? *shrugs and grins at her* Maybe she does know something, I'll ask. Ahh, two of my siblings are mostly white, and my brother is golden like you. *grins wider at her* You're very welcome. *lets her paw go and sits back* Least I could do, since it's my fault... *gives her a weak grin* Sorry, again, really.

 

[~Latonia de la Courtel~]

Koto: Fair is good. *watches him work because it was pretty interesting* Yeah, wandering is... pretty fun sometimes. Even if you end up hurt or something, you can sometimes learn new things, meet new people. Which is good, because Mom isn't going to let me play until my paw is healed. *tilts her head* Well, why would anyone need to go through the caves? I can find my way just fine. But... I guess seeing in the dark is a good advantage. You'd get lost pretty easy. huh? Really? *is somewhat interested in the fact someone is mostly golden, like her* Eh, I think it was my fault too. I did pounce on your first. *smiles* It's okay. I'll warn you next time.

Dire: Yes, most of the time. *chuffs and nods* As soon as my parents agreed I was allowed to wander, I have... I enjoy finding herbs and plants for them to use... And every once in awhile I have a pet project, like the markers for the dark. *winces* Sorry, maybe we'll think of something you can do that won't bother your foot too much? *shrugs* I dunno, just in case? Some of the Tribes establish themselves in a central Capital, and use their gifts to carve into the stone and make homes deeper in the living rock... But how do you know where you've gone? And if you go down deep into a storeroom, like where my mother stores her herbs that must stay cool and dark, how do you find your way back? So then, she and I always know the way. But what about an apprentice or someone else? If they had a map, or directions, anyone could go get whatever she needed, right? So then it's a good idea, right? *gives her a hopeful look, then nods* Yeah, my brother, he's Earth Water Tribe like my sister. *shrugs and then laughs* Thanks, that'd be good... I'm Eldire, by the way. Most just call me 'Dire... *shrugs*

 

[DarkenWoodWolf]

Kotonaru sat back and kept her front paw in the air just a bit, just so she wouldn't put any pressure on it and ruin her new friend's hard work. "I... don't really have permission to wander, but I'm not too far from where I am supposed to be." She looked a little shifty at that, but it was true. She was supposed to be back at her den, but she hadn't left the caves. Koto had just been restless that day, so she'd snuck out. And it would be worth it even if she got in trouble.

"You do a lot for your parents. Don't you get to play and stuff? Me and my siblings get to play all the time. I mean, we are training, practicing so we can hunt and fly when we get older." She settled back and watched him. "I still don't know why you would need to do it, but..." Shrugging, she look down at her paw. "It's okay. I know you thought I was really attacking you."

Listening to his explanation, she thought about it, what it would be like trying to get through the dark caves without being able to see. "I... can think that it might be a good idea for b'alam like you, but I don't think some of the Dark Tribers will like it if you get into their territory with glowy paint letting others know where they are."

"I can see where I'm going, that's how." Koto huffed at him and shook her head. "You are strange, all I need are my eyes. And maybe my nose. But you would need more unless you had a guide."

It was interesting to think that there was someone else who had gold coloring like her. "Nice to meet you, 'Dire. I'm Kotonaru, but you can call me Koto."