rutagraveolens | Melody 3 : Action [Forward dated to morning of 2/14]

[Action]

[Today, Rue is a girl on a mission. With a warning from Lee about the impeding danger of Valentine's Day, Rue decides to take his advice and hide. She skips class - too many people, people could be affected already - and goes straight into the village. Melody, her mockingjay, sits on her shoulder or flies around, providing musical company.

She heads to the item shop first, looking for a sturdy backpack. She'll fill it with whatever survival gear she can find - rope, a flashlight and extra batteries, matches, a small plastic compass, etc.

From there, she heads to the clothing store, adding in some extra clothing that will be good for the outdoors.

Her final stop is the grocery store where Rue stocks up on some food. Jerky, fruit, small cans of nuts, dried fruit, granola bars, things that will last the weekend.

Before she heads out of the village, she sends a message to her household.]

[Voice | Filtered 10% to House 43]

Lee warned that a shift happens around this time and that the safest way to avoid it is to hide. So I'm going to camp out in the woods for a few days. Don't worry! I'll be fine!

[There. With that taken care of, Rue heads west out of the village along the river, quickly taking to the trees and climbing and jumping through them with ease. Catch her at any point in the village or out in the forest to the west.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[The forest is cold and silent. The only sound Keman can hear is his own footsteps in the snow, and even they seem oddly muffled.

It's a perfect day to hunt.

Two-legger food can only sustain the dragon so long; it takes a lot of energy to maintain a shift for days on end and he's at the point where even the horses in the stables are starting to look palatable. Plus, he wants to stretch his wings. It's been more than a week since his last hunting trip. He misses flying.

Keman finds a suitably large clearing in the woods and, gritting his teeth against the cold, starts to change out of the few articles of clothing that are not part of his shift: his coat and boots. He stands barefoot in the snow, his features shifting and blurring as he begins to shift back into his true form.]

Edited 2014-02-15 21:16 (UTC)

[Rue's silent as she moves through the trees, the occasional drift of snow falling off branches or an irate cry of a bird or squirrel giving her position away. It's quicker - and much more fun - swinging through the trees than walking along the ground, so she makes good distance.

She stops at the edge of a clearing, scoping out the next tree to jump to when she notes Keman in the clearing. Rue shrinks back into the branches, hiding a little as she watches the transformation take place.]

[One last twist and blur and Keman's form resolves into its natural shape. It feels so good to be back in his real body. He flexes his wings and lashes his long tail, spraying snow everywhere. Dignity is for elders. It's far more fun to play. Plus, it's not like there's anyone to see him--

Wait.

He half-smells, half-senses a familiar presence nearby. Oh, great. He's been avoiding her for three weeks after accidentally reading her thoughts, and now she's here. With him. And she's just watched him shift.]

It's all right, Rue. You can come out.

[Rue's eyes widen as a dragon - not that she knows that is what a dragon looks like - takes form in the middle of the clearing. She hides further, shrinking against the trunk even when Keman says her name.

It takes a few seconds before she peers out.]

What are you? How do you know my name?

[Keman tries to sound as gentle as he can around a mouth full of very large, very sharp teeth.]

It's me, Rue. Keman. I'm just in a different shape right now.

Keman?

[His name comes out as a surprised squeak. Rue inches forward a little as she peers at him.]

...You're very big.

[He laughs, putting those large teeth on display.]

I guess I am. I'm actually kind of small for a dragon my age.

Edited 2014-02-18 01:11 (UTC)

Oh! You're a dragon? Grune told me about them. Her friend Helios has two of them, though I don't think they're as big as you.

[That piques his interest.]

I didn't realize there were other dragons here. I suppose I've been spending too much time as a two-legg-- a human.

You can come closer, if you'd like. I don't bite.

Grune says they're very nice. They're at House 44! The one that looks like a castle.

[Rue drops down and lands lightly on her feet. She carefully approaches, looking up at him.]

Wow.

I'll have to pay a visit. I haven't met any other Kin outside the Lair where I grew up.

[He dutifully holds out a clawed talon for her to inspect.]

My kind usually pay visits to humans in disguise, like I've been doing here in town. The Elders prefer it if we stay secret and hidden away from the world, but I'm not so sure.

[Rue looks down at the talon, easily larger than her hands.]

Why do you guys stay hidden? Do people not know about dragons in your world?

Most don't, no. Most would rather we stayed that way, but I...accidentally. [He laughs a little nervously.]

I...may have revealed us to several hundred people?

[Oh. That doesn't sound good at all.]

How did that happen?

[Definitely time to change the subject.]

It's...a very long story, and one that's better suited to tell when we're not standing in the snow.

[He flutters his wings--his real wings not the stupid feathery ones this place has cursed him with--a little nervously and bends his neck so that he's at eye level with Rue.]

I think I frightened you the last time we spoke, and I'm truly sorry for that. I'd like to make it up to you if I can.

[Even without lips, dragons can smile.]

So...Rue, have you ever been flying?

Oh, it's okay. You didn't mean to.

[Rue still doesn't know how she feels about people being able to read her thoughts, nor does she really want to think about that day, so she's quick to move on.]

Um, once, but it was on a hovercopter.

[And strapped into the seat for safety and to prevent her escape, it really wasn't that interesting.

She looks at his wings, massive and powerful.]

Can you really fly?

What's a hovercopter?

[To answer, Keman spreads his huge wings, the tips brushing the trees on the far side of the clearing.]

I'd be a poor excuse for a dragon if I couldn't. If you would like, I could take you flying some time.

They're big flying machines that take people places.

[Usually to the arena. Or away after their death.

Rue's eyes widen as she looks at Keman's wingspan and at the offer to go flying.]

Really? You would?

Melody 3 : Action [Forward dated to morning of 2/14]

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