Ssun's Out, Sscales Out
Log Info
- Title: Ssun's Out, Sscales Out
- Emitter: Eztli
- Characters: Aelwyn, Eztli, Skielstregar, Un'eth
- Place: Northern Banks Of The Tornmawr
- Time: June 22nd, 2022
- Summary:
Alexandria, the Tornmawr river, early afternoon.
A gray sky hung overhead in the sky, and the river, accompanied by the warm summer air blanketed the ground in a light matching fog. While difficult to see, It was still a pleasant day for the most part.
Eztli had a lot on her mind. And taking Skielstregar's advice, she found the river a pleasant reprieve from the smell of the city. She was On her back in the middle of the river, floating and looking up at the sky, tail paddling slightly to avoid drifting off to the shore or downriver.
Vessels still go up and down river, usually regardless of whatever ongoings are happening. Though most tend to stay near the banks when lounging about within the waters.
A small rowboat being paddled by a well dressed half-oruch man with a fancy mustache and a gaudy hat is awkwardly trying to not pay attention to the couple in his boat that were squabbling over something. Seems like the date was... not going well.
The boat thuds against something.
A shiny silver alligator pokes their head out of the water. "... rude..." they burble before the helmsman gasps and paddles faster, flinging the couple with river water as they go further down stream.
Emerging out of the river is that of a shiny silver scaled makari, him in nothing more than a shirt and tunic that is drenched. He plods up the river bank towards a pile of his belongings as he shakes his head off. Skiel rubs the top of his skull absently as he looks back into the waters. A little rumble leaves him as he sees Eztli enjoying the respite.
Somewhere along the river there was a faint sound. A repeating sound. Like something getting cracked, then a quiet whoosh. It was steadily growing stronger; those on the banks could see flashes of light.
In reality, it was an ruddy-scaled sith-makar constantly setting fire on something, then dousing it moments after. Crack, whoosh. The flames were not high or particularly impressive - but he was garnering some attention by the virtue that he seemed to be setting fire on his arm, of all things.
The sounds eventually stop, when that glaive wielding sith hears that squabbling along the river. Then the familiar, towering figure of a sith. "Silver, nestful of peace." Aelwyn greets, as he slides the little bottle of firey liquid into his satchel. The arm he was holding his glaive with was lightly smoking. "Rough swim?"
The river is quite popular for travel and as a means to mitigate the day's heat. Yet another form moves down the mighty Tornmawr from the north, this one mostly shadow in the water. Un'eth's head is breached enough to keep head and eyes above the water while her tail serves as her primary means of propulsion.
The commotion was certainly enough to cause Eztli to react, the small makari spinning in the water and getting tangled in their waterlogged robe, tail splashing wildly in the water until the were able to settle down, and flop on to their back. "Water is a completely different thing." Eztli grumbles to herself.
She looks over to find the cause, and waves over to the shore where she sees Skielstregar and Aelwyn gathering. And then there was someone else, quickly identified as Un'eth. There's another bit of undignified tail flailing as she attempts to right herself in the water, succeeding after a moment. "Oh, hello, miss Un'eth. Peace on your nest." She offers after catching her breath.
Skielstregar cranes his head over and squints before straightening up. Then looks confused. "Ah, Dancer. Peassse on your nessst," he rumbles. But his brows raise. "... thisss one undersstands the crimssson ssscaled kin not mind fire. But... why are you enflaming yourssself?"
He gives a wave to Eztli as she greets him in a similar manner as he takes a step to check on her, but he follows her gaze to the-
"Ssshaman Un'eth!" he perks up. His massive tail sways.
"Practice." Aelwyn states. "Wouldn't it be easier to swim without the tunic?" He then looks across the river. "Spellcrier," He bows - but the way Eztli was struggling in the water has the reddish draconian concerned. "Breathe and work with the flow." Yet there seemed to be a lot of sith-makar swimming in the river today, so his attention drifts. Must have been the stench today.
The Dragoon keeps staring across the water, watching both of the swimmers with interest. "Friend of the Shaman?"
Un'eth's head rises further as she slows at the calls, now merely drifting. A tail-thump is not especially meaningful while in the water, and so her head bobs to the others; many known, some not so. "Peace on your nests." She does note Eztli's righting and may be about to make an inquiry before the tunic is noted. "Ssa, a swim is far easier in only scales. Too many things serve as anchors."
"... practice for what?" Skielstregar chuffs, shaking his head. "You wisssh," he rumble chuckles, a hand scratching at his sternum over the tunic. "Thisss one can ssswim fine. Some othersss though..."
He plods over towards the small scale. "Yesss, the Ssshaman isss wissse. Though, sssoftskinsss don't enjoy only ssscales. Perhapsss ditch the robe next time," he teases.
He looks to the ebon-scaled drifting about in the waters. "Peassse on your nessst, it isss good to ssssee you, Ssshaman." He rubs his snout. He hadn't even done anything yet!
Eztli huffs, but she nods to Un'eth, and Skielstregar only agreed. "You are right." Eztli sighs. The Small makari struggles to duck out of the robes, and balls them up in one arm, before she turns to make a much more relaxed side stroke back to shore.
She reaches the ground finally, and steps out of the water, still wearing a two piece swimsuit of black cloth. "Peace on your nest, Skielstregar, Aelwyn. What brings you all out to the river?"
She glances to Skielstregar, and suddenly finds the sandy shore interesting. "You weren't looking for me, were you?"
Aelwyn turns towards Skielstregar with a toothy grin on his face. "And what am I wishing for, Silver?" He prods the larger male on the side, before following him towards the shore as well. "Shaman, peace." The draconian greets with a deep bow of his head. His own tail just idly slides along the sand, whilst he leans against his polearm. The little red ribbons from his horns miserably cling onto the wet bone.
When Eztli comes out of the water, he gives her a bow of his head. "Spellcrier. The black fits her scales." He gestures with his arm, still with few wisps of smoke coming from the scales. "Practising for the dance. The river brings balance the flames." His eyes then turns towards Un'eth, curiously waiting for her to get nearer. The silvery excitement was quite palpable in the air.
A few powerful thrusts of tail direct Un'eth to the shore. She rises up to step out of the water and onto the bank, scales shedding water easily. Despite this, after a moment to drip, she shakes: a vibration that starts at her head and moves down her spine all the way to tailtip, flicking off nearly all remaining water. "All enjoy the sun and river. This is good." As she joins the others, one arm casually lifts up to tap Skielstregar's snoot with a single claw. Pre-emptive measures?
Skielstregar rolls his dead silver eyes as the prod is riposted with a careful elbow knocking against a smoking arm. He doesn't say more on it, but he's clearly amused by the entire thing.
Doesn't help keep from his ego inflating.
The massive Warrior regards Eztli. And without missing a beat, he answers with, "No. Thisss one underssstands needing ssspace." A squint at her attire, then a chuff, confirming something in his head.
The snoot is booped. Somehow, the massive makari flinches from the minute gesture as he covers his nose. "Ack!" Old habits die hard.
Eztli bows her head to Aelwyn. "Thanks, that's nice of you to say. Un'eth there is convincing me to be a bit more comfortable with myself." She replies before prodding at the bundle of robes once, and gripping it firmly in her hand. "Dry." She hisses in draconic, causing the claws on the hand to extend slightly, and the fabric began steaming violently out from under the hand.
"Well, thank you. I understand and appreciate it." She adds to Skielstregar. "I'm sorry for running out like that."
Aelwyn bows his head once more as Un'eth traverses closer, tilting his hip as he leans more against his spear. Orange eyes watch her shed all the water. "Shaman. The water seems to be good on her." This whole snout tapping thing has him positively confused though; and the far shorter sith-makar has struggles swallowing his urge to repeat the motion. It was very difficult.
"More comfortable with herself?" The ruddy draconian asks and tilts his head, eyeing her up and down. "... then perhaps we are all blessed by Shaman's wisdom." Solemn nod.
Un'eth gives a light hiss of amusement at Skielstregar's reaction before turning to Eztli at the comment. "Wisdom gained from time and trial. Of self, more than others." She makes a vague gesture of claws to Eztli. "You will overcome, too, in time, as will all. I share as I can to aid that journey. Such is a Shaman's caste duty, ssa?"
Skielstregar rubs his snout before shaking his head. "It'sss fine, Eztli. Can ssspeak on it later, thisss one hass wordsss they wisssh to ssshare with you asss well." He squints at Aelwyn for a moment, seeing if he got any funny ideas before returning his attention back to the group as a whole.
He nods twice along with Un'eth, though he gives her a slight squint of 'snoot boops are no laughing matter'.
Eztli looks to Aelwyn, and chuckles, before turning back to Un'eth and Skielstregar. She sniffs once, and nods. "Ah, I see what Skielstregar meant. You smell different compared to Aelwyn and himself. You are helping, yes, and it is apreciated, even if I understand little of the castes. Aelwyn here as well, I believe they did not grow up as most did. Though still different to myself."
"You are much older, and your confidence and how you hold yourself is admirable."
Aelwyn bows his head. "This one grew with the cities and the roads that connect them." He adds to Eztli's explanation. Then he turns more towards Un'eth, and )(re-)introduces himself. "Aelwyn, a Dragoon. Let the skies grace you, Shaman." Another bow of his head.
... then later he shuffles near Skielstregar and asks with a whisper. "I _am_ obviously a male, yes?" He grunts.
Un'eth dips snout to Aelwyn and thumps her tail. "I am Un'eth, Shaman of the Tyrranik, warder of Mictlan. Some hatch in different clutches, different tribes, different lands. All are still of The People. One is not greater nor less than another, though many here, now, have all travelled varied paths."
Skielsstregar bobs his head, a little smile in his features as Eztli was able to pick up on what he spoke with her about. "Mhmm. The cassstesss are..." he wobbles his hands. "Not alwaysss the sssame between tribesss. But there isss usually Warriorsss, Speakersss, Huntersss, Shamansss, Craftersss and Keepersss," he counts on his fingers. He looks to Un'eth, then rumbles happily. "Yesss. Un'eth isss right. Thiss is what thisss one wasss trying to explain the other day, Eztli."
Seeing there's a moment, Skiel leans down slightly to murmur in return to Aelwyn, "Yesss, you are." A large hand pats him on the back.
Eztli finishes drying off the robes, and she drapes them over aa shoulder, which ends up covering most off the arm underneath them. "Yes, we can speak another time, Skielstregar." She nods to him, as her attention returns to Un'eth's words. "So many different places, and I understand nothing about them. I am trying to understand, with so little to draw upon."
"It is not your fault, Aelwyn, it is mine. Do not take how I act for typical of sith-makar." She apologizes. "And, you walk around with just a loincloth, yet Un'eth does similar. I do not know many to understand the differences in bone structure Skielstregar told me about."
"But Silver hasn't been mistaken for one?" Aelwyn asks from the larger male. Not at all confidence issues. He lets out a grunt at the pat, before he gives a toothy grin to Eztli. "What would she think I should wear instead?" He teases, giving his loincloth a bit of a shake, before he lifts his hand. "She will understand the difference." Then, with a nod towards Un'eth. "Loincloths are fine, for brilliant scales should not be hidden under the burden of modesty and cloth."
The ruddy draconian listens to Un'eth's explanation - words he has heard before, but not truly internalized. She speaks from another place. "She is the first Shaman that I have crossed paths with. Perhaps one day she can explain her path."
The matter of Makari gender differentiation by softskins draws a snort and dismissive tailthump from Un'eth. "Worry not so much on the softskins' poor noses and eyes for us. Few will ever learn the differences without aid. Or being told. Repeatedly." It is not a harsh derision, but a simple firm fact. Further, lighter affirmative thumps follow as she gestures between the others: Aelwyn to Eztli, Eztli to Skielstregar. "Ssa, share words. Paths. Knowledge."
Skiel gestures towards Un'eth for Eztli. "Then asssk and ssshare wordsss. It isss how one learnssss."
He blinks at Aelwyn, and a chuff leaves him. A rolling cloud of frozen air wafting past as the massive, shiny sith-makar adjusts the way his tunic rests on his frame. "Thisss one isssn't comfortable with that," he rumble mumbles, scratching at his chest with a talon. "Perhapsss if you get to know them better."
Pause. "... not like that." He shakes his head. "Thisss one hass been mistaken for female decently often. You'd be surprised how much it occursss. Thisss one thinksss it'sss the shine. It isss very amusing. This one'sss mate and them like to sssay the other isss the other to confuse the ssssoftskins."
He stoops down to pick up his things and equipment. "Alasss, thisss one must depart. The Temple of Daeusss hasss more questionsss for thisss one. They would love to ssshare knowledge and pathsss at a later time. Perhapsss you can pick the Shaman'sss mind more now that she'sss here, hmm?" he looks to Eztli before stepping away.
"Peace on your nessst, all of you." He gives a slight bow, his massive tail doing an up-down wave from the motion and nearly clobbering a poor passerby as he turns to lumber away and up the bridge.
Eztli turns back to Aelwyn, and tilts her head. "I did, though? I remember being very confused for a moment to his reaction to being kicked between the legs. Though perhaps you were too busy kicking him to notice, this one supposes."
"Well, there is nothing wrong with it. I am just saying that how you dress can not be used as a distiction." She elaborates, before stopping to listen to Un'eth. The small makari blinks, and sighs. "I am struggling with it, but that is fair. I certainly feel like an outsider."
Aelwyn grins toothily at Skielstregar's response, but he does bow his head when the large fellow departs. "Peace of nest, Silver." When Eztli reminds me of their - quite violent - training, he tilts his head and bows his head. "That is true, Spellcrier." Then another grin from him. "It was an intensive dance."
With a long stretch, he bows his head at the two other sith-makar. "Perhaps the Shaman and Spellcrier have more to talk amongst themselves without us males; and the coin calls. Nests upon you, and let the skies pave their ways." The Dragoon says, and then with that he begins heading down along the beach as well.
Un'eth bids the others, and their nests, peace before turning her focus back to Eztli. "I see none else that think you an outsider. Only you can change your own thoughts; find others you feel connected to."
"Oh! Right, good to see you, Sielstregar, take care and have a good day." Eztli blurts out, realizing Skielstregar was leaving after being stuck in her own head. And Aelwyn was leaving now, too. "It's alright to have you around Aelwyn, but, if you need to leave, that's okay." Eztli sighs. "Peace on your nest, take care."
That just left Un'eth and Eztli, who she turned to focus on. "But you just talked about softskins, I think that means non makari being poor at telling the people apart. And I'm still struggling. I'm trying to fit in, but I don't even know what's expected of me."
Un'eth takes a few moments to consider as she eyes Eztli. Whether it is the other Makari she considers, thoughts on the matter, or the choices of her words is not clear. "Into what do you wish to fit? Whose expections would you meet? If you are unaccustomed to the presence of other Sith-makar, did not grow with them, you would not know. Just as with most softskins." She holds up a claw. "They are not less for this, they simply do not know."
Even with just the casual glance, Eztli shrinks somewhat, pulling her arms around herself, the robe almost a shawl or cloak.
"I want to fit in if I can." She states quickly, before falling silent again. "I just, wish to understand what I feel I should understand, Un'eth. I didn't know any makari growing up, back in Dragonier. I didn't know any at all."
Un'eth bobs her head in a more softskin-esque nod rather than thump her tail. "If you wish to learn more of the makari, we can aid with this. Mictlan holds the most, though some depart to the portal for Am'shere for safety, but there are others here in the city." Obviously, as there were just more present. "I cannot grant you all knowledge at once, but you can watch, listen, do, and learn. Others will share, and you can share what you know with others. Many know as little of the softskins as they do of us."
Eztli listens, nods a few times, and the small makari stops, looking like she wants to say something, then sighs. "Yes, I want to learn more, Un'eth. And I understand, there is no way to learn everything instantly. But I just want to learn. I want to be able to feel comfortable in my own skin again, if that makes sense, but I feel so clueless and lost at times, it seems impossible."
She stops again, and coughs, kicking at a rock that was near her foot. "It's complicated."
Un'eth's head tilts in curiosity, before she leans nearer to peer at Eztli. Not harshly and merely curious. "What is complicated? You ask a question, receive an answer, or you observe and gain understanding. Often both. Repeat."
The small makari was, well, small. But still unmistakably sith-makar, appearance and scent wise. She moves her foot where it kicked the rock, digging a small furrow with a clawed toe.
"It's complicated because I know nothing, Un'eth." Eztli sighs after a minute of quietness. "I still do not feel used to my own body, or comfortable in it. It's hard to even admit that, really."
Un'eth exhales slowly. "Ssa. This is what you wish to correct. If you allow the lack of knowledge to stop you from gaining knowledge, will you ever achieve any? Not all are hatched, nor born, feeling welcome in their own skin and scales." A light, bemused snort follows. "I spent many decades in many forms before I found the one that fit me best."
Eztli stops for a long sigh, rubbing at her eyes even if there was no need to do so. "I want to correct it, so very much." Eztli states. "I want to be happy to be myself again. My past feels distant, and I don't feel used to my present, either."
The small makari blinks, immediately quieting down as she looks Un'eth up and down. "Y-you aren't a doppelganger or something like that, are you?" Eztli asks.
Un'eth looses a staccato series of hisses at the inquiry and shakes her snout. "No, but I am a Shaman of Ea. I take the forms of many of Ea's creatures. This-" she taps clawtips on her chest-scales " is but one." Her head then tilts to the opposite side as she inquires, "Happy again? What in your past was good? How is it gone? You can find the same, or better, in the present."
"Okay, that's good. I mean, you wouldn't tell me if you were, but I trust you." Eztli sniffs. The small makari moves to sit on the ground, resting her arms on her knees, and her face in her arms, snout poking out between her legs. While the small makari clearly wasn't the best with her emotions, there was no mistaking the scent of despair and sadness from the sorceress.
Un'eth regards the smaller Makari and follows suit to lower and seat herself upon the ground in quiet. She maintains this a few breath longer before informing, "The past is behind you, the present around you, and the future ahead. How much one affects the other is yours to decide, Eztli, but you can never dwell too much in one over the others."
The small makari coughs once, a blue eye watching Un'eth before closing as the small makari collapses against Un'eth's side. She sat there for another minute, listening closely.
"Dragonier is gone." Eztli sniffs. "My parents are gone. So many of my friends and family are dead. I was-"
Eztli shudders for a moment, pulling her legs even closer.
I remember The sight, the smell, the _pain_, it all still feels so fresh in my mind."
Un'eth exhales deeply, yet softly, tail and one arm moving to curl about the other Makari: not clutching, but merely... present. "Ssa, it did fall, and many were lost. But they are not gone, not forgotten. You hold them close," a light squeeze from her tail. "This is good... but is also why the wounds stay fresh and pained." She is not a Shaman of the Death-Singing Dragon, so has no songs for this, nor would she make assurances of souls free and returned to Ea given the circumstances.
"No, I don't forget them. I can't forget them." Eztli sniffs. "So many gone, the great wyrms laid low, knowledge burnt to ash, it's all so much."
"And then, I wake up, looking like this."She states, gesturing to her own tail and snout, before pulling Un'eths arm closer. "I know I'm still me, but I know I died. And I don't know what to do."
Un'eth's head bobs in understanding and agreement. She was not present for this, but she has lost, as have others; the sensation is, unfortunately, not so rare. She opens her maw to offer words when Eztli's gestures and words register. Her mouth pauses partly open for a moment as all is parsed. It is not as long a pause as one might expect. "You were not hatched Sith-makar," she finally states more than asks. This would explain a fair many things.
Eztli looks back up to Un'eth, and she nods back. But then she froze when Un'eth paused, as any number of possibilities passed through her own head. She let go of the arm, and was starting to move away when she spoke.
Eztli blinked, and nodded once, slowly. "I was not, Un'eth. That's why I feel wrong and unsure of myself." She sighs.
Un'eth lifts the arm about Eztli to tap at one of the white-bronze's horns. "You look a strong, healthy Makari to me," she observes. "You need not be uneasy. If you wish to be comfortable in scales, I, and others, can aid you. If you would prefer skin, there is aid for that, as well. It is not a common occurence, but these things do happen." Her words then quiet slightly, as if conspiratorial yet remain a stage-whisper at the lightest. "I was born, not hatched, myself and there are others who work to find comfort in their own scales. You may not feel as one of The People, but you are not alone."
Eztli can't help but pout after the observation. "I think I was a bit taller before, and I don't know how that's possible." The small makari huffs. It was mostly just a joke for her own sake, an attempt to relax. But that was not helped by the continued words, which made Eztli stare back in confusion. "In skin? I didn't, that's possible?" She asks. "I'm, I'm not sure what to make of that, but, I don't know if I want that. Or if i should just let the past rest."
She continued to listen, and her eyes grew wide. "You weren't always a sith-makar?" She whispers back. Without much thinking, she throws her arms around the black scaled druid, and hugs her as tight as she can manage (which isn't particularly impressive). "That, I'm sorry, Un'eth, if that was something that happened like it did for me. But you seem so happy and confident, so that's good."
"No apologies. I chose this form," Un'eth offers. "Many others before it, as I was able. It was the flesh in which I was born that was not comfortable. After losing all those who were closest to me. Finding comfort with The People, as you are, if that is what you wish, will not be so difficult as you fear. Hatchlings, younglings do this in only a few cycles of seasons and you are far wiser."
Eztli blinks, and sighs. "That, I guess I cab understand it. Even if I was forced myself somehow, it's not bad. Just different, and confusing."
"Still, I can feel sorry for your loss. It's... beyond difficult to come to terms with, at least for me. But knowing there are people out there who understand and care, it helps."
Eztli nods, and her mouth opens slightly for a low yawn. "I am, finding comfort with the people." She half mumbles. "It's easy to talk to you, something is reassuring. I need some thought, or a lot of it. But if things might be okay here, I can keep getting better."
"Ssa," Un'eth agrees. "It is not easy; none of it all is. It should not be. Yet the People are more accepting than any I have known. Even before I took this form, and before it was truly, wholly mine, they accepted me as one among them. You will be treated no differently." She moves the prior arm from her completely, to lifts a single claw; tip pointed upward. "So, as my words before: what you do not know but wish to, you only need ask."
"Skielstregar and Aelwyn have both been accepting, it's true. I hope they will not think of me differently, if they find out. But they probably deserve to know." Eztli sighs. "It would be nice to feel, accepted, again."
She follows the claw with her eyes, but they're already unfocused, and the small makari yawns again. "I've got, so many questions Un'eth. Just, can I sleep here? It's nice to feel safe for a moment." She asks.
Eztli didn't wait for an answer, she was already dozing away.