[PRP][PLOT] Water & Air (Shadow Glow, Eos Amarysso)[FIN]

[Menelie]

Mene

Shadow Glow was at the tail end of a move to a new village. He'd grown up in the Great Tree, but found as an adult he craved a change of scenery. The community in Laisidhiel was wonderful, but he felt he needed something more open. Much more open. He'd heard that both Breeheart and Sunrise Terrace were welcoming to those like himself, but Breeheart seemed....entirely too twee. He didn't feel that he'd fit in. Besides, located on the water like this, Sunrise Terrace was bound to have the big sky and fresh air he'd been yearning for.

He'd communicated via letters to the village leadership (or whoever was in charge of such things) beforehand, arranging a home and a job for himself. Truthfully Shadow had no idea what kind of work he'd be suited for, but he'd do odd jobs and help out where he could until he landed on something more permanent.

As he arrived in Sunrise Terrace, he hoped that someone would be around to greet him, so he could get his bearings and find his new home. Or at least a place to stay.

Wolf

Eos was lifting bags of rice, moving them from the cart that had brought them from the fields into the storage hut. Lifting the heavy bags of rice came easy to a Valkyrie. As she worked she was talking to her older sister, Monroe, it always made the work pass faster. "But they're so cute," Eos commented on the newest children in the village, disappearing into the hut.

Monroe was leaning against the cart, "yes, but they have so much energy! You and Lyn had a lot of energy when you were that age, but this is something else."

Eos returned to the cart, getting ready to lift another bag of rice, when she paused, spotting someone tall, dark, and handsome in the distance behind her sister. "Something else is right..." She said distantly, no longer talking about the children. "Who is that?"

Monroe turned her head curiously only seeing a quick glance before Eos snipped at her for being obvious. "Must be the new guy from the tree, dad mentioned him at the fireside.... You weren't listening, were you? I'll go get dad."

"Most of the news is boring, this is not though." Eos shook her head, "No, no... I got this. Uhm, did dad say which side of town he's moving into?"

Monroe gave a knowing smile, she had recalled doing something similar when her Gray showed up to do some trading before giving her sister directions. At least one of them paid attention.

Eos escaped from behind the cart, the rice would have to wait, and slowly made her way over to the other valk. She couldn't say that she had met many other pae that looked like her and her brother. When Eos was close enough she called out to him, "You must be the new guy!"

Mene

Shadow turned and, seeing the dawn-colored pae, smiled. "Yes," he agreed in a soft voice. "I'm Shadow Glow." He offered his hand. "Call me Shadow for short."

"I'm glad someone was expecting me...I don't suppose you know where I'm supposed to go?"

Wolf

"Shadow Glow," she repeated. "Well, I'm Eos Amarysso. You can call me Eos though. I'll be your guide this afternoon." Nevermind that she wasn't actually the guide, but she had lived her whole life here so it wasn't as if she didn't know things. "Did you bring anything with you?" She asked, peeking over his shoulder, his tall, broad shoulder. Eos didn't know she had a type until this guy showed up.

Mene

"I'm glad to meet you, Eos," he said. His voice was soft, but rumbled when he spoke. At her question he shouldered his pack and turned slightly so she could see it. "Just this. Thought it'd be better to travel light, yeah?" He offered a smile. "I'm sure I'll acquire more things as I live here longer."

Eos. She was like the dawn. On another day he might have been more struck by her delicate beauty, but as it was he was tired from his travels, and eager to get settled in. He couldn't quite resist, however, noticing her beautiful, watery wings. "Your wings are quite striking," he said, his tone indicating an obvious compliment.

Wolf

"Oh yeah for sure. It's a long walk from the... Tree? If you don't have a cart." She assumed he was coming from the tree, but her uncertainty was clear in her voice. She would have known he had been coming from the tree if she had paid any attention to her father's announcements.

At the mention of her wings, Eos blushed and slowly flared them out to show off. She didn't know him well enough to try and splash him. "Oh, thank you. They're a family thing."

"It's up to you, I can show you your new home first and you can drop off your bag or rest if you need to before I show you around the village or I can show you around the village now."

 

[Menelie]

Mene

"Wow," was about all Shadow could manage in response to her wings, except to flutter his own gently. He had a lot more questions, and he was super curious what they felt like, but that hardly seemed like something you asked at first meeting. Besides, she'd already moved on.

"Yes, I'd very much like to set this bag down," he agreed. "Maybe get some water? Then I'd love for you to show me around." He made a little after you gesture with one hand.

Wolf

"Great, then it'll be..." Eos paused, trying to recall her sister's directions. She had given the directions more attention than she gave a lot of things, but she had also been staring at Shadow at the same time. "...this way!" She waved her hands toward the east side of the village, trying to play it off as if she had only paused for suspense. Eos began walking that way.

"Oh, you're working in the rice fields?" She asked unknowingly. Pae were often moved into huts near where they were working, but in cases where the pae was undecided they were placed wherever.

Mene

Shadow shouldered his pack again and followed Eos, drinking in the scenery and trying to memorize the route they were taking, already trying to get his bearings in the new place.

"Hm?" he inquired. "Oh, um, I don't think I'm doing anything official yet," he responded. "But I'm happy to fill in wherever I'm needed until I settle in." He didn't mind at all doing physical labor, and he relished the idea of being outdoors all the time. As long as he could wash up afterward, he'd do just fine.

Wolf

"Oh," Eos nodded her head, now understanding. "You live closer to the rice fields, but that doesn't mean you have to work there. You can always relocate to someplace that's more to your liking too." Eos smiled. Yes, she was an excellent tour guide. She should consider switching jobs, but she knew where she was needed.

"I'm sure after you're settled someone will come by... Or maybe at the fireside..." Eos actually wasn't sure how it was that new pae were given jobs.

"Soooooo, are you from the tree?" She asked curiously as they walked.

Mene

Shadow laughed a little. "Or I could just show up one morning," he joked. He didn't think he'd need much time to settle in and unpack.

He nodded to her next question. "Mhm," he answered affirmatively. "'S not a bad place to live," he said. "I just wanted some more open space. Sky, water, and air?" He paused to glance at her. "You ever been?"

Wolf

Eos laughed at Shadow's joke. It wasn't the funniest thing she ever heard, but she laughed anyway.

As he spoke she stopped in front of a hut and pushed back the door. She wasn't 100% sure this was the right place, but a quick peek inside confirmed that it was. "This would be your place. The water jug in the corner should already be filled for you, but you'll have to fill it up yourself at the well in the future."

She allowed him to pass her, and then answered his question. "No, my mom's from the tree, but I haven't been there myself." Eos paused thoughtfully.

 

[Menelie]

Mene

"Ah, we'll have to get you there someday for a visit," said Shadow as he explored his new home. "The Tree is magnificent, almost defies description." He set his pack down gratefully.

Shadow picked up the pitcher and poured a small amount in his hand and splashed it on his face. He made a refreshing noise and wiped the excess water up into his hair so he wouldn't drip. Going back to his pack, he rummaged around until he found a small wooden cup, which he then filled and drank a couple times.

"This is wonderful. Thanks for leading me here. I'd love that tour now, if you're still up for it."

Wolf

While Shadow's back was still turned to her, Eos raised her eyebrows at the mention of 'we'. She liked the sound of that. Oh this was silly, she didn't even know the guy. Monroe was going to give her so much grief later.

Eos paused from her thoughts, interrupted when he spoke again. "Yes right, the tour!" She moved away from the entrance to Shadow's hut and stepped back onto the main path. "So the village is kind of like a compass and everything is centered around the bonfire. If you kept going down this path it would take you to the rice fields but turn back and we head to village center. We meet there for meals, and fun every night. Stories, music, dancing...." She trailed off a bit thinking about dancing, thinking about watching him dancing. She hoped he danced.

Mene

Shadow followed her and nodded along, trying to visualize the village as circular, spiraling out from the central bonfire. He was about to suggest they head there first, so he could get his bearings from the center, but the mention of dancing caused him to brighten somewhere, his eyebrows raising. "I love dancing," he said. "I mean, I wouldn't consider myself particularly skilled at it, but once that beat gets in your bones you just....have to move." He chuckled softly and rubbed the back of his neck, blushing just a little. He wondered if she liked to dance too. Dancing was always more fun with more pae. He cleared his throat as he came back to earth. "I, er, also have been known to play a drum, if one's available."

He clasped his hands behind him, trying to steer the conversation away from this somewhat vulnerable topic. "Um, why don't we go to the center of town?" he suggested. "Might be easier for me to visualize the village layout if we start in the middle."

Wolf

"You do?!" Eos couldn't easily hide her excitement. Her eyes widened realizing that might not have sounded very guide-like of her. "Most around here are not skilled at dancing, it's just a fun way to spend the evening. And anyone is welcome to hop on one of the drums or such."

"Hey, you're taking my job!" She teased at his suggestion they go to the center of town. "But you're right, it's a great starting place." With that she pivoted, heading down the same path that they had taken to get to his hut.

As they approached the village center she pointed, "That's where you came in, and this right here is the supply stores." With the cart of rice, still waiting for her to finish unloading it. It looked like Monroe hadn't waited around. "Anything you need you can get from here, just wait for whoever is in there to help you out."

Mene

Shadow couldn't help a bit of a laugh. Her energy was contagious. "Well, I look forward to joining in, then," he said. He hoped he'd have enough energy to go tonight.

He followed her to the center of town, mentally taking note of all the structures and any landmarks that might help him find his way. He nodded along to her explanations. The supply store made him pause. "Could you tell me more about that?" he asked. "In the Tree everything is sort of communal, but I'm given to understand that's not the case everywhere."

Wolf

Eos couldn't say she knew much about how things happened in other places, perhaps she should have taken a tour around the island when she was old enough. It wasn't too late to still do that. "We are very communal, everyone works to provide for each other. Like one big family." She gave a friendly smile. "Someone is in there keeping track of what comes in and out, but you shouldn't hesitate to ask for anything you need. And if it's not something we really have, you can see what kind of arrangements can be made to get it..." Eos shrugged her shoulders. "I know some of the other villages have nicer things..." She said somewhat solemnly, she had seen such luxury items come in on the trade carts in the past, "we do what we can."

 

[Menelie]

Mene

Shadow nodded gratefully. "Thank you," he said. "Would have hated to have mixed things up or made presumptions....I'm trying to make a good first impression, here." For the last phrase he lowered his voice slightly, almost as if telling a secret.

As for her own last phrase, he shook his head. "If I'd wanted luxury I would've gone to Zamarad. No, I'm after the simple life. I don't like when things are complicated, you know?" He pulled his long ponytail over his shoulder so it was behind him, as sort of a nervous gesture. "I like an honest day's work and a hearty meal and good company." He shrugged a bit with a half-smile. "What more could you ask for, right?"

Wolf

Eos nodded her head as he spilled his little secret that he was trying to make a good impression. "You'll be fine," she reassured him, "if you step out of line they will probably just blame it on your novice welcome guide."

The valkyrie smiled dreamily as he talked about wanting a simple life. "No, nothing more you could want." She agreed, thinking to herself, 'except for something tall, dark, and feathery,' although she supposed that fell under the good company. Although it wasn't as if Eos knew any better, this was the only life she had known.

Stopping at the bonfire, there were plenty of other pae moving around their daily business. "That path leads to the docks and that path leads down to the beach and out of town to the south." She said pointing to them in turn. "That's my parents' hut... I mean, the chief. His hut."

Mene

Shadow's eyebrows went up. "The chief? Is your..." Somehow the information had him thrown for a bit of a loop. He pulled his ponytail back over one shoulder, then tossed it back again. He found himself blushing. "Well, um, I'm honored that you've taken the time, y'know, for me...." Shadow scratched the back of his neck. He was fully aware that he was making things awkward but he somehow couldn't stop himself. He was trying to be polite and respectful, especially since Eos was undoubtedly an important figure in the village.

Wolf

Eos couldn't help but laugh, "Oh, it's not like that at all!" She giggled. "I'm not like a princess or anything, I still have to shovel rice with everyone else." Literally, since that was her usual gig. Her aunt on the other hand..., But Eos wasn't about to get into that. "The honor was all mine," she said with a warm smile, especially considering that she had gone out of her way to commandeer showing Shadow around.

Mene

"Well, that's certainly a relief," chuckled Shadow, still blushing. "I was afraid I'd stuck my hoof in my mouth."

Suddenly the standing and walking was getting to him. The day's long journey was catching up to him, and he couldn't quite suppress a yawn. "Oh dear," he said with a bit of a laugh. "I suppose my body is telling me it's finally time to rest. D'you mind if we part ways for a while? I hope to see you again tonight at the fireside. It'll be nice knowing someone there my first time, after all."

Wolf

Eos shook her head. "You've had a long journey from the tree," she said in understanding. "Besides that was all the important stuff," At least she hoped it was everything. "Oh! The water well!" She smacked her forehead for forgetting something so obvious. "Right around the corner there." She paused, shifting her eyes as she tried to check off the places she regularly visited, making sure that she had told him about everything important. She gave another firm nod of her head, certain the tour was truly concluded now. "Get some good rest, that way you can show me your dancing later." And she needed to finish putting the rice away so that she could enjoy dancing later.