"C'mon, Illilli, c'mon..."
Geldenwing had been encouraging the dragon-lady for the entire flight, believing that the woman might very well plummet to the ground from fatigue if she didn't remind her to keep flapping along. The fae wasn't experienced with dragon-ladies, after all.
She wasn't sure of exactly where she was headed, but her body was definitely heading to one spot in particular. She fluttered along, staying human-sized for the lady's benefit, scanning the ground.
"Here...we have to land here."
She dropped like a stone from the sky, only to land daintily on her feet at the last moment. She knelt on one leg and scattered the drift from the ground through her fingers, feeling the strange sense of familiar all through this clearing. But which way?...
She turned and stared at the trees around her until the tug started once again, then stood and headed right.
"This way...this way...to...to home?..."
Home? She had a home? She scolded herself. How could she have had a home all this time and never known? Suddenly she had a headache, and as she walked it grew and grew. But now she needed to know where this "home" place was...
Haven in the Woods
Illilli was not as comfortable in the air as Geldenwing was, so when Gelden plunged toward the ground she decided to take a more leisurly decent spiraling slowly down next to Geldenwing. Geldenwing's encouragements certainly did help.
It felt good to be out of "civilization." Illilli felt a good deal safer out in the dark woods with Geldenwing than in an inn with guards wielding bizaare Gnomish weapons. The whole no magic thing bothered her as well. Magic was excepted where she had grown up, but not practiced very often as the mundane way of doing things was often far easier. Now she was thrown in the thick of things. Magic was a part of her life now, even if it wasn't actively pursued.
"This way...this way...to...to home?..."
Momentarily, Geldenwing didn't look as perky as she had all night, even with the Cat-man, Guard and the gnomish weapon incident.
"Are you alright?" A light cool breeze ruffled the leaves of the near by trees.
It felt good to be out of "civilization." Illilli felt a good deal safer out in the dark woods with Geldenwing than in an inn with guards wielding bizaare Gnomish weapons. The whole no magic thing bothered her as well. Magic was excepted where she had grown up, but not practiced very often as the mundane way of doing things was often far easier. Now she was thrown in the thick of things. Magic was a part of her life now, even if it wasn't actively pursued.
"This way...this way...to...to home?..."
Momentarily, Geldenwing didn't look as perky as she had all night, even with the Cat-man, Guard and the gnomish weapon incident.
"Are you alright?" A light cool breeze ruffled the leaves of the near by trees.
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Geldenwing
- Citizen
- Posts: 145
- Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2006 12:33 am
- Race: Fairy
Gelden jolted in surprise when Illilli's voice startled her back to the present. Something very queer flickered through her eyes, something that could almost be called anger. And if the faerie's nature hadn't been what it was, it would be anger.
And then she blinked the past away, and it was gone. She beamed at Illilli as if she'd never been so pleased with anyone in her entire life.
"You flew well! Congratulations! I'm impressed, especially if you're all inexperienced like you say you are."
She turned back to the mental path she was following and continued unerringly toward a clear destination, though she had no idea where she was going. As she walked, the trees thinned a bit, to give ground to harder turf, rockier ground. But they weren't quite where they needed to be yet.
"I'm fine...I'm just..."
She drooped as she tried to find a word for this feeling. "Morose" wasn't even in her vocabulary, and if she heard it, she'd have to ask what it meant. She wasn't much for Big Words.
"I know where I'm going, but I don't *know* where I'm going. Do you think that's bad?"
And then she blinked the past away, and it was gone. She beamed at Illilli as if she'd never been so pleased with anyone in her entire life.
"You flew well! Congratulations! I'm impressed, especially if you're all inexperienced like you say you are."
She turned back to the mental path she was following and continued unerringly toward a clear destination, though she had no idea where she was going. As she walked, the trees thinned a bit, to give ground to harder turf, rockier ground. But they weren't quite where they needed to be yet.
"I'm fine...I'm just..."
She drooped as she tried to find a word for this feeling. "Morose" wasn't even in her vocabulary, and if she heard it, she'd have to ask what it meant. She wasn't much for Big Words.
"I know where I'm going, but I don't *know* where I'm going. Do you think that's bad?"
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Ander Valman
- Citizen
- Posts: 71
- Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 1:26 am
- Race: Human
Ander froze as he heard voices nearby. He had spent so much time trying to find a place in the woods that would accomodate him, only to have people come by!
He groaned inwardly, grabbing at the few items he had with him, and tucked them into his pack. Glancing back at the entrance to the cave he had found earlier the day before, he turned and ran clumsily up the small hill to a cluster of several huge boulders. Between them was a space large enough for him to squeeze into if he breathed out all the way. Inside the space was a small room, almost large enough for Ander to stand up in.
Ander pushed his pack in before him, then slid in. He exhaled as he went, pushing all the air from his lungs, and forcing himself into the safety of the boulders. He sat up and relaxed, holding the pack to his chest. There he waited for whoever was coming to pass him by.
He groaned inwardly, grabbing at the few items he had with him, and tucked them into his pack. Glancing back at the entrance to the cave he had found earlier the day before, he turned and ran clumsily up the small hill to a cluster of several huge boulders. Between them was a space large enough for him to squeeze into if he breathed out all the way. Inside the space was a small room, almost large enough for Ander to stand up in.
Ander pushed his pack in before him, then slid in. He exhaled as he went, pushing all the air from his lungs, and forcing himself into the safety of the boulders. He sat up and relaxed, holding the pack to his chest. There he waited for whoever was coming to pass him by.
So you were born in an electrical storm, took a bite out the sun, and saw your future in a machine built for two.
Illilli was excited! The buzz from her earlier drinking was wearing off and each step she took brought more butterflies to her stomach. She was deterimined to get this shape changing thing figured out. If she could turn into "This" she swished her tail and stretched her wings a little to punctuate her mental train of thought, she should be able to turn back...
She saw a nice batch of mint growing near some boulders. They would be quite nice for a relaxing tea once they got where they were headed. She wondered if Geldenwing had a case of the headaches.
She didn't know where they were going, but she had a queer sense of adventure with a tinge of homecoming.
Slicing through a few stalks with her knife, she released the scent of the wild mint into the breeze. Careful not to bruise the leaves she tied them into a bundle and then to her backpack with a long stalk of grass.
"Hopefully we can enjoy a nice cup of mint when we get there." She called to Geldenwing as she jogged slightly to catch up.
She saw a nice batch of mint growing near some boulders. They would be quite nice for a relaxing tea once they got where they were headed. She wondered if Geldenwing had a case of the headaches.
She didn't know where they were going, but she had a queer sense of adventure with a tinge of homecoming.
Slicing through a few stalks with her knife, she released the scent of the wild mint into the breeze. Careful not to bruise the leaves she tied them into a bundle and then to her backpack with a long stalk of grass.
"Hopefully we can enjoy a nice cup of mint when we get there." She called to Geldenwing as she jogged slightly to catch up.
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Geldenwing
- Citizen
- Posts: 145
- Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2006 12:33 am
- Race: Fairy
The first thing the Boulder Man would see as Gelden passed slowly by was a tiny woman with iridescent wings, barely taller than a young child. She was about as threatening as a puddle of water, and she stopped just before the man's line of boulder vision, put her hands on her hips, and grumped.
Gelden was just starting to re-perk herself, to come back to the ever-giddy mood she normally lived in. But this "home" place she kept almost remembering was somewhere right around this spot, and she was determined to find it.
"That's a great idea, Lily! I haven't had fresh mint tea in *ages*."
The faerie gave her considerably taller and more imposing companion a goofy grin of thanks and approval. Yes, her day was certainly starting to brighten.
"Now if only I could find it...we're looking for an entrance to a cavern. It should be in the ground, see, and slope down all the way. It's all underground..."
Gelden continued to mumble to herself as she looked through the ground to find something, anything that she recognized. But things grow and change, and although she didn't know it, she was a few living generations apart from the place she remembered.
Tendrils of vine caught her eye, just poking through some of the underbrush. Well didn't that stuff look familiar. Completely unlike anything else nearby, and not very large, as if it didn't really like the light outside. Gelden knelt next to the stuff, covered in dirt and roots and various other things that didn't seem a bit native. As if...as if...
Gelden shifted a bit, then yelped as the roots and vines without actual ground under them fell away, leading the fae to tumble down into a hole, dirt and all.
...as if they've grown over a hole in the ground.
Gelden coughed and sputtered as some dirt still rained down, then finally the cave-in settled. She hadn't fallen very far, as this was more of a downward-slanted hallway than an actual hole. But her rump still ached from the impact.
She looked up through the hole she'd torn in the roof of vines.
"Found it."
She *knew* this was what she'd been looking for, but looking ahead only revealed a gaping black hole of shadow, and vines absolutely everywhere, along the walls and dangling down, spreading across the floor.
Gelden was just starting to re-perk herself, to come back to the ever-giddy mood she normally lived in. But this "home" place she kept almost remembering was somewhere right around this spot, and she was determined to find it.
"That's a great idea, Lily! I haven't had fresh mint tea in *ages*."
The faerie gave her considerably taller and more imposing companion a goofy grin of thanks and approval. Yes, her day was certainly starting to brighten.
"Now if only I could find it...we're looking for an entrance to a cavern. It should be in the ground, see, and slope down all the way. It's all underground..."
Gelden continued to mumble to herself as she looked through the ground to find something, anything that she recognized. But things grow and change, and although she didn't know it, she was a few living generations apart from the place she remembered.
Tendrils of vine caught her eye, just poking through some of the underbrush. Well didn't that stuff look familiar. Completely unlike anything else nearby, and not very large, as if it didn't really like the light outside. Gelden knelt next to the stuff, covered in dirt and roots and various other things that didn't seem a bit native. As if...as if...
Gelden shifted a bit, then yelped as the roots and vines without actual ground under them fell away, leading the fae to tumble down into a hole, dirt and all.
...as if they've grown over a hole in the ground.
Gelden coughed and sputtered as some dirt still rained down, then finally the cave-in settled. She hadn't fallen very far, as this was more of a downward-slanted hallway than an actual hole. But her rump still ached from the impact.
She looked up through the hole she'd torn in the roof of vines.
"Found it."
She *knew* this was what she'd been looking for, but looking ahead only revealed a gaping black hole of shadow, and vines absolutely everywhere, along the walls and dangling down, spreading across the floor.
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Ander Valman
- Citizen
- Posts: 71
- Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 1:26 am
- Race: Human
Ander pushed back harder into the boulders, trying to squeeze out of sight while still watching through the little crawl space. He watched as the ... child? ... walked by. She had wings. Ander found that a little more than strange, but tried not to dwell on it.
He listened to the two speak of mint tea and caverns, and he liked their voices. They didn't sound all bad. And the child-like one looked about as threatening as a puddle of water. Still, he refrained from leaving the safety of his boulders. If they were to find out what he was... or what he could do...
Ander shuddered at the thought, thinking of his mother and father. How his sisters had looked at him like he were something alien. At least he hadn't killed his father...
Suddenly there was a yelp from outside, followed momentarily by coughing and an echoing "found it". Ander frowned. It seemed they might be staying here awhile. He'd have to sneak out after nightfall.
He listened to the two speak of mint tea and caverns, and he liked their voices. They didn't sound all bad. And the child-like one looked about as threatening as a puddle of water. Still, he refrained from leaving the safety of his boulders. If they were to find out what he was... or what he could do...
Ander shuddered at the thought, thinking of his mother and father. How his sisters had looked at him like he were something alien. At least he hadn't killed his father...
Suddenly there was a yelp from outside, followed momentarily by coughing and an echoing "found it". Ander frowned. It seemed they might be staying here awhile. He'd have to sneak out after nightfall.
So you were born in an electrical storm, took a bite out the sun, and saw your future in a machine built for two.
"Are you ok? What is wrong with these vines?... They look like they are healthier in the dark!"
Illilli began working her way down through the vines to help Geldenwing get free. The vines went from looking half trampled at the entrance to healthy and about to bloom back in the darker area of the tunnel. White petals barely peeked from behind the tightly closed buds.
She looked down at Geldenwing and tried to help her disentangle herself from the vines she had fallen into. Illilli could tell from the echos and the faint rustle of water that they were near the entrance to a rather large cavern. Remnants of a hanging curtain were tattered and pierced through where the vines had grown through the once heavy fabric. Occasional rustlings not of their making also sounded in the darkness.
"Its going to be darker in there; We are going to need some sort of light."
Illilli began working her way down through the vines to help Geldenwing get free. The vines went from looking half trampled at the entrance to healthy and about to bloom back in the darker area of the tunnel. White petals barely peeked from behind the tightly closed buds.
She looked down at Geldenwing and tried to help her disentangle herself from the vines she had fallen into. Illilli could tell from the echos and the faint rustle of water that they were near the entrance to a rather large cavern. Remnants of a hanging curtain were tattered and pierced through where the vines had grown through the once heavy fabric. Occasional rustlings not of their making also sounded in the darkness.
"Its going to be darker in there; We are going to need some sort of light."
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Geldenwing
- Citizen
- Posts: 145
- Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2006 12:33 am
- Race: Fairy
Gelden winced and finally closed her eyes as Illilli's movements pushed ever more dirt onto her. She scrunched up her nose and snorted, making a little dust fly up, but she was beyond repair now. Dusty dirt was the hardest to clean off.
While Illilli worked, the little faerie rubbed dirt from her dirty eyes with her dirty fists and tried to see through the dirt to see the hallway. Her memories were just on the brink of rushing back, but for now, it was still just a hint on the edge of her mental vision, giving tiny clues and hints about this place. Illilli had mentioned something about light, and as Gelden slowly tugged the vines off and stood straight to dust dirt off with more dirt, something inside clicked.
"There's a way to turn them on."
She blinked and looked up at Illilli, grinning brightly. Dirt had even managed to get onto her teeth.
"The vines! They're called "glowvines", and that's gotta mean something, right? They light up, but..."
And here her grin faltered.
"I can't remember howww!"
The last word came out as an anguished wail. It didn't take much to depress the little fae.
While Illilli worked, the little faerie rubbed dirt from her dirty eyes with her dirty fists and tried to see through the dirt to see the hallway. Her memories were just on the brink of rushing back, but for now, it was still just a hint on the edge of her mental vision, giving tiny clues and hints about this place. Illilli had mentioned something about light, and as Gelden slowly tugged the vines off and stood straight to dust dirt off with more dirt, something inside clicked.
"There's a way to turn them on."
She blinked and looked up at Illilli, grinning brightly. Dirt had even managed to get onto her teeth.
"The vines! They're called "glowvines", and that's gotta mean something, right? They light up, but..."
And here her grin faltered.
"I can't remember howww!"
The last word came out as an anguished wail. It didn't take much to depress the little fae.
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Ander Valman
- Citizen
- Posts: 71
- Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 1:26 am
- Race: Human
Ander listened to the two talking. They were quite close to the boulders between which he hid, and a little dust had drifted into the space between the boulders.
He continued to listen, absently waving at the dust to keep it away from his face. Their voices echoed strangely, as if in some sort of cave or tunnel. It was the way his own voice had sounded in the little hollowed out cavern he had found on the other side of the hill.
As he listened to the winged child wailing about something called 'glowvines', a familiar tickle began in his nose. He frowned mightily, trying to suppress it, but it built up and built up until he couldn't hold it any longer.
"AAAAAAAAH CHOOOOOOO! Choooo choooo chooo!"
He continued to listen, absently waving at the dust to keep it away from his face. Their voices echoed strangely, as if in some sort of cave or tunnel. It was the way his own voice had sounded in the little hollowed out cavern he had found on the other side of the hill.
As he listened to the winged child wailing about something called 'glowvines', a familiar tickle began in his nose. He frowned mightily, trying to suppress it, but it built up and built up until he couldn't hold it any longer.
"AAAAAAAAH CHOOOOOOO! Choooo choooo chooo!"
So you were born in an electrical storm, took a bite out the sun, and saw your future in a machine built for two.
"Just a second Geldenwing..." Illilli set her backpack down and grabbed the herbal guide given to her as a parting gift when she left the farmstead. There, in hand written notes her Grandmother had recorded in the back of the book, was a simple sketch that faintly resembled the wilted specimens at the entrance of the hole Gelden was in.
Glowvines: This tenacious flowering vine is possessed of a slight intelligence. It grows readily in dark caves where it produces its own luminesence. Often they are trained to respond to signals from their gardener/caretakers. The vines prefer to cling to sheer walls doing little structural damage. The most common color flower is white.
Illilli began making random noises, clapping her hands, snapping her fingers, saying things like "Let there be light..." all to no effect.
Shrugging, she sighed and let out a low whistle in disbelief that here was a rare and special plant that she could not get to respond.
Bright light began to eminate from the hole at the sound of the whistle and there was a sound of rustling other than their own rustling in the leaves.
A sneeze echoed from outside.
"Oh geeze, there is Something in the cavern and something out behind us in the woods... What do we do now?!"
Glowvines: This tenacious flowering vine is possessed of a slight intelligence. It grows readily in dark caves where it produces its own luminesence. Often they are trained to respond to signals from their gardener/caretakers. The vines prefer to cling to sheer walls doing little structural damage. The most common color flower is white.
Illilli began making random noises, clapping her hands, snapping her fingers, saying things like "Let there be light..." all to no effect.
Shrugging, she sighed and let out a low whistle in disbelief that here was a rare and special plant that she could not get to respond.
Bright light began to eminate from the hole at the sound of the whistle and there was a sound of rustling other than their own rustling in the leaves.
A sneeze echoed from outside.
"Oh geeze, there is Something in the cavern and something out behind us in the woods... What do we do now?!"
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Geldenwing
- Citizen
- Posts: 145
- Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2006 12:33 am
- Race: Fairy
Gelden's spirits soared as the glowvines lit the way down the hallway. Her memories of the place flooded into her, and she nearly squealed with delight. All she could remember was that this place was home and fun and good times and happiness. Nothing else came to her.
And then of course the vines rustled withour herself or Illilli budging an inch. From behind, she faintly heard a sneeze, and that decided her. Something sneezing was less dangerous than something sneaking.
"Aieeeee!!!"
Whatever it was moved again, and Gelden tore from the hole, straight up, using her wings to hover above in the air. But she didn't get very far; her foot managed to be caught by a twisted vine, and the fae was held in place, trying to escape.
"Help me! I'm stuck!"
She clawed uselessly at the vine, but her nails weren't sharp and she had no knife. The vine had tightened as she tried to escape, and now the thing was stronger than she could manage. Ahead, in the lightened tunnel, something was coming forward, and all she could do was sob and wait. Now that she was panicked, she wasn't much good for thinking. The thought that whatever had sneezed behind them might very well be a large man-eating cat beast of some kind, all claws and blood vengeance, didn't help her state of thought terribly much.
And then of course the vines rustled withour herself or Illilli budging an inch. From behind, she faintly heard a sneeze, and that decided her. Something sneezing was less dangerous than something sneaking.
"Aieeeee!!!"
Whatever it was moved again, and Gelden tore from the hole, straight up, using her wings to hover above in the air. But she didn't get very far; her foot managed to be caught by a twisted vine, and the fae was held in place, trying to escape.
"Help me! I'm stuck!"
She clawed uselessly at the vine, but her nails weren't sharp and she had no knife. The vine had tightened as she tried to escape, and now the thing was stronger than she could manage. Ahead, in the lightened tunnel, something was coming forward, and all she could do was sob and wait. Now that she was panicked, she wasn't much good for thinking. The thought that whatever had sneezed behind them might very well be a large man-eating cat beast of some kind, all claws and blood vengeance, didn't help her state of thought terribly much.
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Ander Valman
- Citizen
- Posts: 71
- Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 1:26 am
- Race: Human
Ander pushed himself back against the rocks, trying to make himself invisible. He closed his eyes and waited, listening.
All he could hear was murmuring, then suddenly a scream. He started, opening his eyes and looking around. He cocked his head and listened, trying to decide if there was any trouble. The winged child and the other person with her sounded like they were in trouble, and someone was calling for help because they were stuck.
Ander tried to decide if he should help them. Then, with typical teenage stoicism, he berated himself for being chicken. After all, I can't just hide from everyone for the rest of my life. How dangerous could a child be?
He drew a deep breath, then grabbed his pack and began to force his way out from between the boulders.
All he could hear was murmuring, then suddenly a scream. He started, opening his eyes and looking around. He cocked his head and listened, trying to decide if there was any trouble. The winged child and the other person with her sounded like they were in trouble, and someone was calling for help because they were stuck.
Ander tried to decide if he should help them. Then, with typical teenage stoicism, he berated himself for being chicken. After all, I can't just hide from everyone for the rest of my life. How dangerous could a child be?
He drew a deep breath, then grabbed his pack and began to force his way out from between the boulders.
So you were born in an electrical storm, took a bite out the sun, and saw your future in a machine built for two.
Geldenwing's fear was becoming contagious. Illilli lunged forward and tried to claw her way through the vine that trailed from the faerie's ankle. The thing in the cave continued to rustle in the overgrowth of vine.
"At least we can see what we are doing... sort of..." she gasped as she kept trying to find the best way to cut the offending vine.
Whatever was in the cave was staying beneath the vines that covered the floor. If there were no pressing matters it would have been awe inspiring to view the peeks of the crystals that made up the walls and cieling of the cavern. It was like being inside of a giant geode. Clear, smokey, amethyst and rose quartz covered the wall and twinkled in the clear light of the white glowvine flowers.
The Cavern may have become dilapidated and inhabited by who-knew-what in its many seasons of disuse but it certainly held lots of promise. Lumps rose under the vines in shapes that might possibly be furniture of some type.
Illilli had no time to notice such beauty though. She was becoming increasingly distressed by the rustling. Once again the zebra-like markings on her body began to shift.
The shifting was particularly noticable across her back where her natural markings ran up to her neck and then down her wingbones almost like racing stripes. Though in this form her markings were naturally blue from one direction, red from the other and purple viewed straight on, they were shifting on their own which had nothing to do with Illilli's frenzied movements.
Illillli was about to consider biting through the vine, though she had no idea if they were poisonous or had other qualities, when she thought she heard movement now coming from behind.
"At least we can see what we are doing... sort of..." she gasped as she kept trying to find the best way to cut the offending vine.
Whatever was in the cave was staying beneath the vines that covered the floor. If there were no pressing matters it would have been awe inspiring to view the peeks of the crystals that made up the walls and cieling of the cavern. It was like being inside of a giant geode. Clear, smokey, amethyst and rose quartz covered the wall and twinkled in the clear light of the white glowvine flowers.
The Cavern may have become dilapidated and inhabited by who-knew-what in its many seasons of disuse but it certainly held lots of promise. Lumps rose under the vines in shapes that might possibly be furniture of some type.
Illilli had no time to notice such beauty though. She was becoming increasingly distressed by the rustling. Once again the zebra-like markings on her body began to shift.
The shifting was particularly noticable across her back where her natural markings ran up to her neck and then down her wingbones almost like racing stripes. Though in this form her markings were naturally blue from one direction, red from the other and purple viewed straight on, they were shifting on their own which had nothing to do with Illilli's frenzied movements.
Illillli was about to consider biting through the vine, though she had no idea if they were poisonous or had other qualities, when she thought she heard movement now coming from behind.
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Geldenwing
- Citizen
- Posts: 145
- Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2006 12:33 am
- Race: Fairy
It was a sight for sore eyes. A large winged lizard with moving squiggly lines all over her body, clawing at a vine which held a tiny winged woman with glittery skin in place. The smaller woman was clearly panicked, shrieking at the top of her lungs to be freed. In only a few more moments, her shrieks morphed into wails. She was inconsolable.
Of course, if Gelden's brain would work even the tiniest bit, she'd remember that she could just shift sizes and be free. But one doesn't try to talk sense into someone beyond rational thought. It only gets one clobbered or wailed at. Geld's brain, for lack of something better to do, was lying low, waiting to be used again.
The fae opened her tear-streaming eyes for a moment, flailing her arms as she was, and suddenly noticed that there was another pair of eyes watching them. All movement and sound stopped immediately, for the fae. She hovered in mid-air, trapped in place and staring at the newcommer. Was he dangerous? There was no way to know. But it was unlikely he'd be throwing a bag over her head to carry her away; she wasn't little at the moment.
Her brain sluggishly tried to veer these thoughts toward the obvious - be small and escape! - but now the little woman was too distracted to notice. Rustling from behind and below inside the cave, and now a stranger. She found herself completely at a loss.
Of course, if Gelden's brain would work even the tiniest bit, she'd remember that she could just shift sizes and be free. But one doesn't try to talk sense into someone beyond rational thought. It only gets one clobbered or wailed at. Geld's brain, for lack of something better to do, was lying low, waiting to be used again.
The fae opened her tear-streaming eyes for a moment, flailing her arms as she was, and suddenly noticed that there was another pair of eyes watching them. All movement and sound stopped immediately, for the fae. She hovered in mid-air, trapped in place and staring at the newcommer. Was he dangerous? There was no way to know. But it was unlikely he'd be throwing a bag over her head to carry her away; she wasn't little at the moment.
Her brain sluggishly tried to veer these thoughts toward the obvious - be small and escape! - but now the little woman was too distracted to notice. Rustling from behind and below inside the cave, and now a stranger. She found herself completely at a loss.